CORD

Hengniu: Fast Bearing and High Yielding Coconut Varieties

Hengky Novarianto — 2024-10-22

Benefits of coconut varieties that stakeholders want are early bearing, high yielding, short stems, and slow growth for height. Most local tall coconut palms in Indonesia have stem height above 20 m, making it increasingly difficult to climb to harvest fruit or tapping sap thereby making the harvesting cost high. To breed varieties of desired characters, an evaluation trial was initiated in 2014 with BYD x MTT-S4, RAD x MTT-S4, and KHINA-1 as a control. The crossing was done in 2012 and seedlings planted in January 2014 at Mapanget Experimental Garden, Indonesian Palma Crops Research Institute, North Sulawesi. The study used a Randomized Block Design (RBD) of three types of coconut hybrids, four replications with a plot size of 16 trees. Morphological observations were carried out on stem, crown and leaf characters, inflorescences and flowers, nut production, fruit components, copra, oil content, and fatty acid composition. The results of ANOVA analysis and statistical tests obtained those vegetative characters, such as stem circumference and number of leaf, generative characters namely the number of bunches, first flowering, and fruit production of these three crosses at the age of 4 years after planting, did not show a significant difference. The first initial flowering was in the coconut hybrid of RBD x MTT-S4, which is 26 months, followed by BYD x MTT-S4 in 32 months and KHINA-1 in 36 months after planting. The results of the analysis of fruit and copra production at the age of 5 years showed a significant increase between hybrid coconuts. The highest to lowest fruit production was obtained in BYD x MTT-S4 hybrid coconut, RBD x MTT-S4, KHINA-1, which were 64 nuts, 44 nuts and 26 nuts /palm respectively, or estimated copra production was 2.26 tons, 1.45 tons and 0.88 tons copra/ha. At 6 years old the harvest of fruits from the three hybrid coconuts is obtained sequentially 118 nuts, 99 nuts and 94 nuts/palm. While estimation of copra yield per hectare is found the highest in BYD x MTT-S4 hybrid coconut is 3.86 ton/ha/year and this yield differently significant compare with RBD x MTT-S4 is found 3.04 ton/ha/year, and control hybrid of KHINA-1, which is about 2.74 ton/ha/year. Based on the production potential, hence the estimated optimum production when aged over 10 years can reach more than 5 tons/ha/year. The hybrid coconut variety BYD x MTT-S4 is released in October 2019 under the name HENGNIU.

Development of Coconut Palm Wood Seasoning Schedules

Gayathri Mukundan — 2025-01-06

Coconut palm is a versatile and commercially important palm in the tropical and sub-tropical regions. This study attempts to standardise moisture content-based kiln seasoning schedules for high-density and medium-densitycoconut palm wood and also understand relationship between Pilodyn Penetration Depth (PPD) and basic density for three density classes (high, medium and low). Quick drying test was conducted to study the degree and type of drying defects viz., surface cracking, end splitting, honeycombing and deformation. Defects were graded according to the Terasawa (1965) scale. The baseline parameters such as initial dry bulb temperature, final dry bulb temperature and the wet bulb depression for high and medium-density coconut palm wood were chosen by considering the major seasoning defects. The samples were subjected to different seasoning schedule treatments in a convection kiln to determine the best treatment based on grading of defects. The ideal drying period obtained for high-density coconut palm wood was 11 days, whereas for medium-density coconut palm wood it was 12 days. The schedule developed has good potential for industrial application in seasoning of coconut palm wood lumber with reduced defects in coconut growing regions of the world.

Keywords: Coconut palm wood, seasoning schedule, kiln drying, Terasawa scale

Detection of the Phytoplasma Associated with Lethal Yellowing-Type Syndrome of Coconut in Ghana in Three Weed Species

Egya Ndede Yankey — 2025-01-15

The lethal yellowing-type syndrome of coconut in Ghana, locally called Cape St. Paul wilt disease (CSPWD) is considered as the foremost threat to the survival of the coconut industry in the country. The syndrome is associated with a phytoplasma belonging to the 16SrXXII-B subgroup. In Ghana, no alternative hosts of the phytoplasma have been identified. To identify alternative hosts of the phytoplasma associated with CSPWD, 21 plant species belonging to 16 plant families were sampled from within and around the vicinity of 10 CSPWD affected farms in the Western, Central and Volta Regions of Ghana. Nested PCR and sequencing using assays based on the 16SrRNA gene were used to detect the CSPWD associated phytoplasma in the plant species, Laportea aestuans, Starchtarpheta indica and Pentodon pentandrus. Removal ofthese non-coconut plant species will be incorporated into existing management strategies for CSPWD in Ghana. The plants will be further investigated for their role in the epidemiological cycle of the disease.

Creamed Coconut Testa and Creamed Coconut as Substitutes for Coconut Milk in Culinary Uses

K. G. S. N. Kumari — 2025-01-15

Coconut milk plays a crucial role in preparation ofcurries and other savoury dishes in Sri Lanka.While squeezing grated coconut manually, there is a wastage ofcoconut as well as coconut testa which is a significant by-product of coconut processing industries. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of utilizing creamed coconut (CC) and creamed coconut testa (CCT) as a viable substitute for coconut milk in culinary uses. To attain this objective, the nutritional composition ofCC and CCT was determined and sensory evaluation was undertaken to test the suitability of these two products as cooking medium on a potato curry using a group of thirty semi-trained panelists. Four formulations of CCT incorporated potato curry were prepared coded as F₁ (CCT:water = 1:9), F₂ (CCT:water =1:4), F₃ (CCT:water = 3:7) and F₄ (CCT:water = 2:3). Besides, P₁ (CC:water = 1:9), P₂ (CC:water = 1:4), P₃ (CC:water = 3:7), P₄ (CC:water = 2:3) were coded as the four formulations of potato curry, incorporating CC. The analysis revealed that fat, crude protein and carbohydrate in CC was higher than CCT except crude fiber content. However, there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in ash and moisture contents. According to sensory evaluation, F₁ (CC:water = 1:9) and P₂ (CC:water = 1:4) were identified as the most preferred potato curry formulations incorporating CCT and CC respectively. In conclusion, there was a potential ofutilizing and maximizing coconut meat and testa as a viable substitute for coconut milk in culinary applications.

Factors Influencing Coconut Growers’ Decision-Making Process in Fertilizer Application through the Lens of Theory of Planned Behavior and Self-Determination Theory

C. S. Herath — 2025-02-05

The small-scale, poor, rural coconut growers in Sri Lanka are generally characterized by low productivity. The low yield of coconuts is primarily attributed to the improper application of fertilizers. The decision to apply fertilizer is mainly depends on the growers’ change in behaviour, in turn, influenced by the growers’ salient beliefs. Assessing the beliefs plays a significant role in understanding why farmers behave differently in making decisions regarding fertilizer application. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Theory of Self Determination (TSD) were employed to find a more realistic solution to the above research problem. Hence, the current research was carried out to observe the relationship between the beliefs of the coconut growers and their behaviour with respect to fertilizer application in coconut fields. Results of the study reveal that perceived behavioural control was the highest contributor to developing the intention followed by the attitude. Further, there is no influence from the social pressure for the intention development. Moreover, intrinsic motivation predicts the fertilizer application behaviour from intention in stronger strength than that of extrinsic motivation. Therefore, it can be concluded that motivation influences the intention-behavioural relationship. Consequently, it gives evidence for policymakers to introduce policy guidelines in order to enhance the use of fertilizer efficiently and effectively. And, motivation does have a moderating effect on coconut growers’ fertilizer application behaviour.