COCONUT

Coconut called as Kalpa Vriksha (Tree of Heaven).

It is also called as Tree of Life, Tree of Abundance, Tree of Plenty, etc.

Each and every part of the coconut palm is useful to man in one way or another.

The word coco derives from the word monkey because the nut resembles a monkey's face.

Coconut is an important crop. About 1 crore people depends on its cultivation and processing.

48%of coconut produced is consumed as raw nuts, 30%for milling copra for oil extraction, 8%as edible copra and 4% for coconut cream, milk, and other by-products.

Introduction

Composition and use

Water composition is 95.5%

Protein content is 0.1%

Fat content is <0.1%

Mineral content is 0.4%

CHO 4%

Ca 0.02

P <0.01

Fe 0.5mg

Composition of coconut water

Composition of kernel

Moisture 45% Protein 4% Fat 37% Minerals 4% CHO 10%

Richest source of vegetable fat yielding 60-67% oil

Use of coconut palm and its products

Plant parts Uses

Root Beverage, fuel, medicine for intestinal complaints, coughs, antiseptic lotion for wounds & mouth wash.

Stem Timber, particle board.

Leaves Thatching houses, place mat, fruit tray.

Inflorescence Gin, toddy.

Coconut meat Copra, coconut oil, oil cake for animal feed, desiccated coconut.

Pith Soil ameliorant, filler in thermoplastic industries, oxalic acid.

Coconut water Vinegar, soft drink.

Coconut shell Mail rack, lamp shade, charcoal, shell flour, mosquito coil.

husk Rope, yarn, brush, floor mat, door mat,

Origin and Distribution

Coconut originated and was domesticated in Malaysia where it was widely distributed

It was taken in prehistoric times to the mainland of Asia, and had reached East Africa before 1492

All tropical areas are suitable for coconut cultivation

Philippines, Indonesia, India, and Srilankaare the major producer of coconut, in world.

Malaysia

Major coconut growing countries

In India it is distributed from coastal to interior belts in sates of kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Goa

Major coconut growing

states

2007-2008 (Revised) 2008-2009 (Final)States /Union

Territories

AREA ('000

Hectares)

Production

(Million nuts)

Productivity

(Nuts/ha)

AREA ('000

Hectares)

Production

(Million nuts)

Productivity

(Nuts/ha)

Andhra

Pradesh

101.32 1119.26 11047 104.00 970.00 9327

Assam 19.00 136.00 7158 18.80 147.10 7824

Goa 25.50 127.60 5004 25.61 128.18 5005

Gujarat 16.40 138.30 8433 15.98 157.42 9851

Karnataka 405.00 1635.00 4037 419.00 2176.00 5193

Kerala 818.80 5641.00 6889 787.77 5802.00 7365

Maharashtra 21.00 175.10 8338 21.00 175.10 8338

Nagaland 0.90 0.20 222 0.92 0.55 598

Orissa 51.00 275.80 5408 51.00 275.80 5408

Tamil Nadu 383.37 4968.20 12959 389.60 5365.00 13771

Tripura 5.80 11.40 1966 5.80 11.40 1966

West Bengal 28.60 355.50 12430 28.60 355.50 12430

A & N Islands 21.60 80.60 3731 21.69 82.00 3781

Lakshadweep 2.70 53.00 19630 2.70 53.00 19630

Pondicherry 2.20 26.60 12091 2.10 30.70 14619

All India 1903.19 14743.56 7747 1894.57 15729.75 8303

All India Final Estimates of area and production of Coconut

Common names: Coconut Palm,

Scientific name: Cocos nucifera

Family: Arecaceae

Order: Arecales

Chromosome no: 2n = 32

Evergreen or deciduous: Evergreen

Botany

The Root

The coconut palm has an adventitious root system as typical of a monocot, i.e., it produces numerous uniformly thick roots from the base of the stem almost throughout its life.

The main roots measure 6 m in length on an average and in rare instances they may grow even up to 25 m. they are usually of uniform thickness of about 8 mm in diameter.

The total number of roots in a tree depends upon its age and the environment.

they may vary from 1,500 to 2,500 in a tree aged about 25 years and 3,620 roots in a 60 to 70-years-old tree.

The number of roots counted on a bole usually varies from 4,000 to 7,000.

Coconut roots are also provided with numerous lenticels-like outgrowths or ventilators which may be called 'breathing organs', 'breathing roots' or 'Pneumatophores', which help in the exchange of gases.

Root

Stem When the bole reaches the full stage of its development, the

stem becomes visible.

The thickness of the stem generally depends upon the vigor of the tree, hereditary variation and soil conditions.

In the initial years of the growth of the tree the stem gradually increases in thickness and this thickness is maintained throughout.

When the leaves grow old they are shed , leaving a rough pitted scar on the trunk which encircles the whole stem.

From the counts of these scars the age of the trees can be approximately determined, as roughly 12 to 14 such successive scars left on the tree correspond to a year of growth of the tree.

It is also possible to gauge the vigour of the tree from these scars.

In a bearing tree the scars left by the inflorescence stalk may be seen on the stem in the middle above the widest portion of the leaf scar.

The Leaf

Every tree has a crown of leaves oriented at the top of the trunk consisting of opened leaves and those in the bud in various stages of development.

The number of leaves in the crown varies depending on the conditions prevailing, viz., method of cultivation, nutritional status of the soil, sunlight, etc.

In adult trees, the crown comprises about 30 to 40 opened leaves.

There are generally four sets of leaves in the crown.

The first set consists of ten to twelve leaves counted from the oldest leaf, from the axils of which the bunches have already been harvested.

The second set consisting of ten to fourteen leaves will be those supporting fruit bunches in the different stages of development.

The third set includes ten to twelve opened leaves in the axils of which are found spadix in various stages of development.

The soft and brittle bud in the centre of the crown is the most rapidly growing part of the tree

Leaf

The Inflorescence

Inflorescence of the coconut are formed in the axils of every leaf of a bearing tree

The coconut is a monoecious plant producing male and female flowers separately on the same tree.

The inflorescence appears at first in the axil of a leaf as a pear shaped flat structure.

At this time, it is completely protected by two sheaths and is collectively known as the spadix.

The outer sheath is thick and fibrous while the inner one is more yellow and often fibrous and somewhat flat in nature

Its size varies from 0.75 m to 2 m in length depending upon the individual palm.

Flowering commences at 6-12 years of age.

Each spikelets bears about 200-300male flowers at top.

1-2 female flowers at base

Female flower are globose and about 2-3cm in diameter having large ovary, with 3 locules and 3 nectary glands

The average number of female flowers per tree in the group

good is about 151

Medium about 120

poor only 41.

Inflorescence

Male Inflorescence Female Inflorescence

The Pollen

When the anthers are fully mature, the pollen sacs burst along two longitudinal slits.

The pollen grains are spherical and smooth when very fresh.

On exposure for a few seconds, they turn ellipsoidal with a longitudinal groove in the middle and they measure about 0.063 mm in length and 0.020 mm in breadth at the centre.

In the mature pollen grain, there are three nuclei one of which is larger than the remaining two.

The Fruit The fruit of the coconut, botanically known as a fibrous drupe

and popularly the 'nut', consists internally of the endospermous kernel with the embryo embedded in it and externally protected by the fruit coat known as the pericarpwhich consists of three distinct and well defined regions, viz., the exocarp or epicarp, the mesocarp and the endocarp.

The outermost region of the fruit coat is the exocarp (or epicarp) which consists of a tough smooth and hard fibrous skin where as in the ripe fruit it assumes green, red, yellow or brown colour.

Within the kernel is a cavity which in the unripe fruit is completely filled with the liquid popularly known as 'coconut water'.

As the fruit ripens, this water gets very much reduced.

Fruit parts

coconut-apple

varieties

Dwarf Varieties In India

Chowghat Green Dwarf,

Chowghat Orange Dwarf,

Gangabondam

Gudanjali Dwarf.

Malayan dawaf orange

Malayan dawaf green

Malayan dawaf yellow

Tall Varieties In India

West Coast Tall,

Laccadive Ordinary,

East Coast Tall

Andaman Ordinary

Kappadam

Gangabhavani

Verri kobbari

Rangoon kobbari

Name Area for which recommended Nut yield Copra (g/nut) Oil content (%)

Selections

Chandrakalpa Kerala, Karnataka, TN 97 195 70

Kerachandra AP, Maharashtra, 110 198 66

Chowghat Orange

Dwarf

All coconut growing regions Tender nut variety

Kalpa Pratibha West Coast region and peninsular

India

91 256 67

Kalpa Dhenu West Coast region and Andaman

and Nicobar Islands

86 242 65.5

Kalpa Mitra West Coast region and West

Bengal

80 241 66.5

Kalparaksha West Coast region and root (wilt)

disease tracts of Kerala

65 215 65.5

Kalpasree Root (wilt) prevalent tracts of

Kerala and adjoining states.

90 96.3 66.5

Hybrids

Chandra Sankara Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu 110 208 68

Kera Sankara Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra,

AP

106 198 68

Chandra Laksha Kerala, Karnataka 109 195 69

Kalpa Samridhi West coast of India 117 220 67.5

Kalpa Sankara Root (wilt) prevalent tracts of

Kerala and adjoining states.

84 170 67.5

Coconut Varities

Distinguish between tall & dwarfTrait Tall Dwarf

Height increment per year >50 m <50 m

Years to start of reproductive maturity

Late (5 to 7years) Early (3 to 4years)

Expected life span >50 years <50 years

Nut size (Whole) Very small – large Very small - medium

Phenotypic variability

a) Within cultivar High Low

b) Between cultivar High High

Root distribution More dense Less dense & few

Reaction to adverse conditions Generally less & sensitive Sensitive to hypersensitive

Cultural requirement Average High input required

Leaf & bunch attachment Very strong Fragile

Geographic distribution More widely distributed & commercial

Less widely & non –commercial

Stem circumference Enlarged with a bulbous base Thin & either with a cylindrical or tapering base

Mode of pollination Highly crossed Highly selfed

Pigmentation of nuts & petiole of leaves

Mixture of green & brown yellow rarely occur

Either pure green, brown, yellow & red

Hybrids Hybrid Parentage Released by

Chandra Sankara CODXWCT CPCRI

Chandra Laksha LOXCOD CPCRI

Kera sankra WCTXCOD CPCRI

Laksha Ganga LOXGB KAU

Ananda Ganga AOXGB KAU

Kera Ganga WCTXGB KAU

VHC-2 ECTXMYD TNAU

Hybrid Variety West Coast Tall

(Tall Variety) (Dwarf variety)

Soil

Coconut can be grown on variety of soils.

Well drained deep sandy loam, alluvial and red loamy soils are ideal for its cultivation

Heavy clay soils and waterloggedareas should be avoided

pH of soil should be 5.5-6.5

ClimateCoconut is a tropical crop and it grow

wel in warm humid areas with alltitude of 1000m above the sea level

It can be successfully grown in area receiving rain fall of 750mm/annum.

Temperature should be 270C and 200hr of sunshins /year is ideal.

Propagation

Coconut is propagated through seed nuts.

Coconut is cross pollinated one, it does not breed true to type, by means of a series of selection made at different stages, it is possible to eliminate poor quality seedlings.

The selection procedure

Selection of seed garden :

Seed garden should have high yielding record.

Seed garden should contain a high proportion of heavy bearers.

The garden free from pest diseases.

Palm located near cattle shed and compost pits should be avoided

Selection of mother palms

Selection made based on following character :

Yield of palm :annul yield not <80 nuts, copra content should not <150g.

Age of palm: should at lest 50 year, however, very old palm >60year avoided.

Nature and disposition of leaf: should have 30 fully opened leaves

Nature, number and sequence of production of inflorescence : every leaf axil should have one inflorescence with large numbers of spikes and 1-2 female flower.

Size and shape of nuts: medium sized nut with round and oblong shape are preferred.

Collection and storage of seed nuts

Thin husked medium sized nut of 11-12 months old are collected during Oct – Mar

Seed nut should have high kernel content, which positively related to vigour and early germination of seedlings

Seed nut should be stored in shade for a minimum period of 60daysbefore sowing

Nursery techniques

Nursery site should be in partial shade.

Preferably sandy soil is preferred

Open a trenches of about 0.5m depth and 0.3-0.4 m width.

Apply aldrin 10% dust at rate of 12g/m2 to prevent termite

The nuts are planted in nursery after on set of monsoon during May-June.

L.S of germinated seedling

Germinating nuts Nursery

Spacing and position seed nuts

Seed nut s are planted at spacing of 30x30.

They are planted in beds in trenches 25-30cm deep.

The nuts may planted vertically with stalk end up.

Irrigate nursery regularly .

Apply BM and COC to avoid the fungal infection.

Selection of seedlingsSeedlings are selected based on following characters :

Early germination: should germinated within 5 months

Number of leaves: should have minimum 5 leaves

Girth of collar: should be 10 cm

Splitting of leaflets

Stunted and lanky seedling avoided

seedlings

Good seedlingBent seedling

Planting

Plant seedlings in pits at a spacing of 9m x 9m in tall varieties,

7.5x7.5 spacing in dwarf varieties,

Dig pits of size 1m3 and fill up with rich topsoil to a level of 15 cm from the bottom. Plant seedlings at the centre of pit, cover with soil up to collar level and press around.

Manuring and Fertilization

FYM

Before planting 1.25tonns/ha

After planting 50kg/plant/year

Leaf manure 50kg/plant/year

Age of plant

N g/plant P g/plant K g/plant

1 YEAR 40 30 100

2 YEAR 85 55 200

3 YEAR 170 110 400

4 YEAR -10YEAR

250 165 600

Fertilization

Intercropping and mixed cropping

Intercrops: Potato, Tapioca, Chilies.

Mixed cropping: banana and pineapple can be grown at initial stage crop growth

When plantation achieved age of 12-15 year, cocoa, pepper, clove, nutmeg.

Multistoried cropping system in coconut

Cultivating a mixture of crops with different heights (multi-storey) and growth characteristics which together optimise the use of soil, moisture and space.

Model Multistoried cropping

Under the multi-storey cropping system, perennial crops (coconut, banana, coffee, papaya, pineapple)

annuals/biennials (root crops: taro, yam, sweet potato etc) are interplanted to maximize productivity and income.

coconuts are usually planted first. When they reach a height of 4.5 meters (after 3-4 years), bananas, coffee and/or papaya are planted. After sufficient space has developed at ground level in about three to four years, root crops are planted.

At full establishment, the system develops different layers: coconut (tallest) followed by banana, coffee, papaya (middle), root crops and pineapple (lowest).

The multi-storey system is intended to make the best use of resources (soil, moisture and space) for increased farm income.

It is also very effective against soil erosion.

Multi-storied system Income (US$ per hectare)

Coconut+ Banana+ Taro 420+1530+250 =

2220

Coconut+ Banana+ Ginger 420+1530+2040 =

3990

Coconut+ Banana+ Pineapple 420+1530+1260 =

3210

Coconut+ Banana 420+1990 =

2410

Monocrop system (Coconut) 540 =

540

Coconut+ Pasture 540+105 =

645

Table 1. Income from multi-storied cropping system in coconut orchard

Pineapple+ Banana+ Coconut Pineapple+ Coconut+pepper

Drip Irrigation

Crops Drip irrigation

(litres/tree/d

ay)

Surface irrigation

(litres/tree/day)

Coconut 75-100 200-300

Grapes 25-45 90-100

Mango 30-50 90-150

Guava 20-30 70-100

Sapota 20-30 70-100

Pomegranate 20-40 60-130

Banana 12-16 30-40

Citrus 10-20 25-65

Papaya 5-8 18-26

Vegetables 1-2 4-8

Pests

Rhinoceros Beetle Scientific name: Oryctes rhinoceros

Symptoms of damage

Beetle bores into central shoots, spathes and petioles, chews the tissues, ingests the juice and throws out dry fibrous part.

Attacked central shoot topples down and the tree may be killed if the growing primordium is destroyed.

Leaves of partly damaged crowns when grow show characteristic 'V' shaped cuttings on the leaflet.

Adult feeding on leaf V shape mark on leaf

Control

Treat the manure pits with carbaryl dust, four times a year in January,

April, July and October.

Hook out beetles from crowns during July-September and fill the

holes with lindane dust and sand ( 1: 1) mixture.

Poison bait made out of rotting mustard, castor cake, toddy or dung

and lindane attracts the beetles.

Red Palm Weevil Scientific name: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus F.

Symptomatology :

It is very difficult to detect the presence of the pest infestation in the earlier stages of attack.

The grub begins its life inside the palm and normally never comes outside.

Therefore neither the grub nor the damage caused by it can be readily seen.

Sometimes, a few small holes Occur in the crown or the soft stem from which pieces of chewed fibers protrude and a brownish viscous liquid oozes out.

The four stages

Egg Larva Pupa Adult Life Cycle

Red Palm Weevil

Cocoon at the leaf base

The brownish viscous liquid oozed out from palm

contorl

Drenching of carbaryl 4gm/liter of water

Painting raw surfaces of palm with a mixture

of 10 ml tar and 10 gm lindane dust prevents

egg laying

Pheromone Traps

Scales Scientific name :Aspidiotus destructor

Symptoms of damage:

Female lays eggs under its shield like scale.

Crawlers move out to healthy leaflets, cluster in large numbers on the underside of leaflets feeding on cell sap.

Leaflets turn yellowish and in severe cases wither and dry.

In severe infestation scales may also congregate on green nuts and suck sap reducing the quality

Scale insect

Control:

Normally their population

is kept under check by the

natural enemies.

Spray Rogar

@1.75ml/liter

Mites

Scientific name:Eriophyes guerreronis

Symptoms of damage:

Colonies of mites live under inner bracts of perianth and suck sap from tender tissues.

Damage initially appears as a triangular patch at the level of perianth which turns brown later.

•Mites damage

Sprays of

dicofol,@1.5ml/liter twice

at weekly intervals are

recommended on buttons

and developing nuts on

bunches.

Spraying of neem

formulation (0.15% or

1500 ppm) @ 5 ml/litre of

water also controls the

pest.

control

Black-Headed Caterpillar

Scientific name:Opisina arenosella

Symptoms of damage

o Larva scrapes and feeds on the surface tissues of the lower surface of the leaflet .

o It binds two halves of leaflets together, constructs a gallery of silk and frass and lives under it.

o Affected palm

o Attacked leaflets turn brown and dry up.

o Attacks only lower leaves and from a distance these appear as if burnt.

Control: Root administration of monocrotophos is

most practical and widely adopted method.

A dark brown active, pencil- thick root is taken out, and its end cut slantly, immersed into a container (polythene bag) with 10 ml monocrotophos and 10 ml

water.

Diseases

Stem bleeding

Symptoms

Exudation of a rusty brown liquid from cracks of trunks

Control

Apply 1%

Boreaux paste

Control

Chisel affected tissue and dress the wound with 5% Calixin (5ml in 100ml water). Apply coal tar after 2 days. Burn off chiselled pieces.

Avoid any mechanical injury to the stem.

To avoid spread of disease on to upper portion of trunk, root feeding with 5% calixin may be adopted 3 times a year -April-May, Spetember-October and January-February.

Root wilt Disease

Symptoms:

Yellowing and wilting of inner leaves

Leaf become flaccid, necrotic.

Root wilt Disease

Control

1% BM .

Root feeding of 2g of

Aureofungin sol +1g

CuSO4 in 100ml of

water

Bud Rot

The earlier symptom is the yellowing of one or two younger leaves. Black spots appear on spindle leaves.

In the later stages the spindle withers and drops down.

The tender leaf base and soft tissues of the crown rot into a slimy mass of decayed material emitting foul smell.

Bud Rot

•Spray with 1% Bordeaux mixture during

May and September if the disease occur

frequently.

Harvesting of Coconut

Coconut usually mature 12-13 month after opening of inflorescence.

In India harvesting done twice a year & Sri Lanka 6 times a year

Harvesting is done 45 day interval during summer & 60 days interval during rainy season in Kerala.

Harvesting methods India - By climbing tree Sri Lanka– From ground knife

attached long bamboo pole Malaysia& Thailand – Trained

monkeys are used

Coconut Products

Food products

Wet meat

Desiccated coconut

Edible copra

Coconut water

Toddy

Coconut Products:Tender Coconut Water

Copra

Coconut Oil

Raw Kernel

Coconut Cake

Coconut Toddy

Coconut Shell based Products

Coconut Wood based Products

Coconut Leaves

Coir Pith

Coconut water

coconut water is the tender liquid inside the young coconuts.

Serves as the suspension for the endosperm of the coconut during their nuclear phase of development

Endosperm mature into their cellular phase and deposit into the rind of the coconut meat.

Coconut water is available in fresh canned, or bottled.

Served as fresh chilled or packaged in many places.

Often sold by many street venders.

Also found in ordinary cans, tetra packs, plastic bottles

Bottled coconut water has a shelf life of 24 months.

In recent years, it has been marketed as a natural

energy or sports drink due to its high potassium and

mineral content.

Low levels of fat, carbohydrates and calories.

Unless the coconut has been damaged it is likely

sterrile

In Bhamian cuisine coconut water may be drunk by

itself or blended with condensed milk and gin to make a

drink known as ‘Gully wash’ or ‘sky juice’.

In recent years, it has been marketed as a natural

energy or sports drink due to its high potassium and

mineral content.

Medical use :

It is said that coconut water is identical to human plasma and can be injected directly into human blood stream.The story has its origin from World War II where british and Japanese patients were given coconut water intraveinously because saline solution was in short supply. but doctors today say that they would not be Inclined to set up a coconut water for dehydrated patients. It could be possibly cause elevated calcium and potassium, which could be dangerous

Classification of coconut

Lunger (1920)

Classified into 7 varieties

1) Vridis –green nut

2) Rubescence –brown nut

3) Macrocarpa – very big nut

4) Rutila – very thick husk and small endosperm

5) Euberna – ornamental/albino

6) Rubilla – green dwarf and early bearing

7) Regia – yellow /red/orange dwarf

John and Narayana(1949)

Clssified into 5 varieties

1)Spicata –

tall unbranched inflorescence maleflowersuseually absent,spikelets 1-2

2) Typica –

Tall and monoecious

3) Androgens –

Male palms

4) – Jawanica –

dwarf or semi tall bearing in 4 yrs.

5) Nana –Dwarf palms bering in 3 yrs.

Freemond et.al(1966)

Classified into 2

1) Autogamic – (self pollinated)

All dwarfs

2) Allogamic – (cross pollinated)

all tall varieties

BASED ON STATURE

1) Tall varieties

2) Dwarf varieties