Coconut

Botanical Name :- Cocos nucifera

Family :- Arecaceae

Origin :- South East Asia

2n :- 32

Important point :-

• This fiber is called the coir and is used for making mats and rope.
• They are small spherical structure known as "Button".
• The fruit is developed from a tricarpellary ovary.
• First hybrid between tall and dwarf coconut was released in year :- 1932
• Coconut is commonly known as :- Kalpavriksha
• Coconut commercial propagation method :- Nuts
• Inflorescence of coconut :- Spadix
• Coconut is a crop of small and marginal farmers.
• Coconut is a humid tropical perennial palm.
• The copra obtained by drying the kernel of coconut is the richest source of vegetable oil containing 65 to 70 % oil.

Climate :-

• It is tropical crop and grows well a hot climate.
• Optimum temperature 20 °C to 32 °C.
• Coconut palm thrives well under an evenly distributed rainfall of 1000 - 3000 mm.

Humidity and Wind :-

• The optimum relative humidity is 80 to 85 %.
• High relative humidity increases the incidence of pest and reduces nutrient uptake.
• Windy atmosphere increases transpiration rates and helps in uptake of nutrients from soil.

Soil :-

• Coconut is grown under different soil types such as loamy, laterite, alluvial, clayey.
• pH range for coconut is :- 5.2 to 8.0

Planting Season :-

• June - July
• December - January

Varieties :-

                            There are only two distinct varieties of coconut, the tall and the dwarf.

Tall Varieties :-

• Long lived palm living generally to an age of about 80 to 90 years.
• The tree attains a height of about 15 m to 18 m or more.
• About 6000 nut's yield a ton of copra.

Varieties :-

1. West Coast Tall
2. East Coast Tall
3. Chandrakalpa or Lakshadweep ordinary
4. Philippines ordinary :- This cultivars was released by CPCRI as a national variety during 1995 for commercial cultivation in all states.
5. Assam Tall :- Release in 1985

Dwarf Varieties :- (Tender coconut)

• The dwarf coconut is small in structure (5 - 7 m) commences bearing earlier than tall variety.
• Dwarf coconut palms flower as early as the third year after planting and come to regular bearing in the ninth year.
• The average life span is 40 - 50 years.

Varieties :-

1. Chowghat Orange Dwarf :- This cultivars was released by CPCRI in 1991.
2. Chowghat Green Dwarf
3. Chowghat Yellow Dwarf
4. Gangabandom

Hybrid Varieties :-

1. Kalpa Samrudhi :- Recommended area Kerala and Assam.
2. Kalpha Shankara (Chowghat Green Dwarf x West Coast Tall)

Nursery Management :-

                                                                Sol pH 5.5 to 7.0 (ideal) and the seedlings are tolerant to a pH range from 4.5 to 8.5.

Cultivation Practice :-

Spacing of Tamil Nadu :-

Particular Varieties	Spacing (m)
Tall Varieties	7.5 × 7.5
Dwarf Varieties	6.5 × 6.5
Hybrids	8.5 × 8.5

Harvesting :-

• Twelve months old nuts are harvested at the interval of 30 - 45 days for seed as well as copra making and culinary purpose.
• Nuts which are 11 months old give fiber of good quality. This is suitable for coir fiber.
• Oil yield of WCT palms :- 1.7 - 2 tons/ha

Yield :-

• Average Yield :- 80 - 100 Nuts / Palm / Year
• Dwarf Varieties :- 70 - 80 Nuts / Palm / Year
• Tall Varieties :- 80 - 100 Nuts / Palm / Year
• Hybrids :- 100 - 130 Nuts / Palm / Year

Post Harvest :-

                                        Copra to be dried to 6 % moisture.