PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 12:40 PM by Luigi

New coconut variety from India

The following has just appeared in the The Hindu newspaper's Farmers' Notebook feature.

Ideal tender coconut variety for small farms

By Our Agriculture Correspondent

SCIENTISTS AT the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, in Kerala have found that an orange dwarf variety with early flowering and fruiting traits is an ideal tender coconut.

"Our studies showed that Chowghat Orange Dwarf (COD) as the best tender coconut variety. It yields nuts, which contain on an average 350 ml sweet water each. The water (liquid endosperm) has 7.1 g total sugars per 100 ml, and the mineral composition accounts for 20,000 ppm (parts per million) of potassium and 20 ppm of sodium," said Dr. V. Arunachalam, Scientist (Horticulture), CPCRI.

Economic product

For use as tender coconut the nuts have to be plucked when they are about seven to eight months after fertilization. The refreshing tender coconut water is a health drink, and it is one of the most important economic products of the coconut palm.

CPCRI initiated research to find the suitability of different coconut varieties for use as tender coconuts, and screened them for high yield potential, quantity of water, organoleptic taste of the water and meat, minerals, vitamins, total soluble solids and total sugars.

Compact internodes

Based on the studies, Chowghat Orange Dwarf was adjudged the best, and it is recommended for commercial cultivation for harvesting tender coconuts, according to Dr. Arunachalam. COD is a dwarf variety characterised by compact internodes and early flowering and fruiting.

Early flowering

Well-managed COD palms come to flowering in three to four years after planting. Bearing commences from the fourth or fifth year. It yields 60 to 65 medium-sized nuts every year. It can be conveniently grown in home gardens as well as in small farms on a commercial scale by adopting a spacing of 7.5 m by 7.5m. The variety responds well to sound nutrient management. Liberal application of well rotten farmyard manure and a nutrient dose of 500 g of nitrogen, 320 g of phosphorus and 1200 g of potash for each tree in a year will prove to be highly rewarding. The recommended dose of nutrients should be applied in two splits to get good results, according to Dr. Arunachalam.

COD is a highly fragile variety and is susceptible to heavy winds, water stress and rhinoceros beetle attack.

Soil moisture

Care should be taken to provide adequate soil moisture by incorporating suitable and locally available mulch to prevent water stress. High wind areas and drought-prone regions should be avoided. If planted in high wind-prone regions, good shelterbelts should be provided to minimise the damage due to winds.

Beetle attack

This variety should not be planted closer to compost pits, as it is highly prone to the damage by rhinoceros beetles.

Farmers should take particular care to ensure that rhinoceros beetles are eliminated and their breeding grounds cleared by adopting suitable phytosanitary measures.

When the trees are in full bearing, their bunches tend to buckle due to the weight of the nuts, and farmers should provide sufficient support to prevent it by tying the bunches with ropes, according to him.



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DIVA-GIS	Thursday, March 31, 2005 Posted 12:40 PM by Luigi New coconut variety from India The following has just appeared in the The Hindu newspaper's Farmers' Notebook feature. Ideal tender coconut variety for small farms By Our Agriculture Correspondent SCIENTISTS AT the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, in Kerala have found that an orange dwarf variety with early flowering and fruiting traits is an ideal tender coconut. "Our studies showed that Chowghat Orange Dwarf (COD) as the best tender coconut variety. It yields nuts, which contain on an average 350 ml sweet water each. The water (liquid endosperm) has 7.1 g total sugars per 100 ml, and the mineral composition accounts for 20,000 ppm (parts per million) of potassium and 20 ppm of sodium," said Dr. V. Arunachalam, Scientist (Horticulture), CPCRI. Economic product For use as tender coconut the nuts have to be plucked when they are about seven to eight months after fertilization. The refreshing tender coconut water is a health drink, and it is one of the most important economic products of the coconut palm. CPCRI initiated research to find the suitability of different coconut varieties for use as tender coconuts, and screened them for high yield potential, quantity of water, organoleptic taste of the water and meat, minerals, vitamins, total soluble solids and total sugars. Compact internodes Based on the studies, Chowghat Orange Dwarf was adjudged the best, and it is recommended for commercial cultivation for harvesting tender coconuts, according to Dr. Arunachalam. COD is a dwarf variety characterised by compact internodes and early flowering and fruiting. Early flowering Well-managed COD palms come to flowering in three to four years after planting. Bearing commences from the fourth or fifth year. It yields 60 to 65 medium-sized nuts every year. It can be conveniently grown in home gardens as well as in small farms on a commercial scale by adopting a spacing of 7.5 m by 7.5m. The variety responds well to sound nutrient management. Liberal application of well rotten farmyard manure and a nutrient dose of 500 g of nitrogen, 320 g of phosphorus and 1200 g of potash for each tree in a year will prove to be highly rewarding. The recommended dose of nutrients should be applied in two splits to get good results, according to Dr. Arunachalam. COD is a highly fragile variety and is susceptible to heavy winds, water stress and rhinoceros beetle attack. Soil moisture Care should be taken to provide adequate soil moisture by incorporating suitable and locally available mulch to prevent water stress. High wind areas and drought-prone regions should be avoided. If planted in high wind-prone regions, good shelterbelts should be provided to minimise the damage due to winds. Beetle attack This variety should not be planted closer to compost pits, as it is highly prone to the damage by rhinoceros beetles. Farmers should take particular care to ensure that rhinoceros beetles are eliminated and their breeding grounds cleared by adopting suitable phytosanitary measures. When the trees are in full bearing, their bunches tend to buckle due to the weight of the nuts, and farmers should provide sufficient support to prevent it by tying the bunches with ropes, according to him. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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