Cultivation of coconut(cocus nucifera)

Cultivation of coconut

· Botanical name .= cocus nucifera l

· Family= Arecaceae

· Chromosome number= 2n=32

· Origin place= south east asia (malasia or indonasia)

· Edible part=nut (endosperm)

· Type of fruit= one seeded drupe

· Type of inflorescence=spadix

· Type of plant= palm(monoesious)

· Type of pollination= Tall(cross), Dwarf(self)

· Commercial propogation= seed

· Highest production in world= Indonasia

· Highest production in india= Kerla

· mainly coconut are two type-

1. Tall type- Cocos nucifera V. typica

o 15-18m long

o Germination – 95 days

o Bearing age – 7-10 year

o Pollination- cross

o Yield- 66 nuts /plant

o Variety= east cost tall,west cost tall, kalpa mitra,kalpa thenu,kalpa haritha,chandra kalpa etc.

2. Dwarf type= cocos nucifera V. nana

o 5-7 m long

o Germination=49-61 days

o Bearing age= 3-4 year

o Pollination = self

o Yield = 66-91 nut /palm

o Variety= chawghat orange dwarf,chawghat green dwarf,Malayan orange dwarf ,Malayan green dwarf, Malayan yellow dwarf, kalpa raksha,kalpa shree,kalpa jyothi etc.

· it is also called kalpavriksha , tree of heaven, tree of life.

· “Coco” is Spanish word it means “monkey face”.

· It is a heliotropphic* plant

· *heliotrophic= loves sunshine “flower that track the sun is called heliotrophic plant.(coconut require 2000hr sunshine/year).

· . Male flowers are numerous small with six stamens and in female flowers, the ovary is tricarpic, usually one ovuled.

· The palm is monoecious with relatively few female flowers(10-50).

· In india highest productivity of coconut in india= Laksdweep(19630).

· Coconut salad= Nata de cocoa.

· Ball copra = fully mature (unhusked nut ) 8-12 months .

· Cup copra= coconut split into two halve (it’s famous in north india).

· Milling copra = it is famous in south india.(commercial)

· Oil percentage in coconut= 60-67%.

· Husk percentage = 30-45%

· Coir is obtained from mesocarp.

· Toddy= A sugar containing juice which obtained by tapping on unopened spadix.

· for propogation choose palm 15 year old tree & nut weight is more than 150g.

· minimum two month storage require before sowing .

· mainly 9-12 month old seedling are use for planting but in KR(Karnataka ) & AP ( Andhra pradesh) use 2-3 year old seedling.

· In india coconut ssednut is planting at vertical position, but in other some countries the seednut are planting at horizontal position, because it gives better germination than vertical.

· Flower production=

o High= march-may

o Low= sep-jan

· Optimum soil ph require= 5.2-8.

· Temperature= 27c

· Pocket manuring established in Tamilnadu.

· Time period of anthesis to ripening of nuts= 11-12months.

· Crown choking or button shedding occurs in coconut due to = Bo deficiency.

· Rosette/little leaf = Zn deficiency.

· Most destructive pest = Rhinocerous beetle and red palm weevil.

· Yield=

o Tall= 60-80 nuts/palm/year.