coconut cultivation



to day lets know how to cultivation coconut and how to get maximum yield from your cultivation


The Coconut Research Institute (CRI), currently recommends the following planting materials.

Tall X Tall (CRIC 60) improved variety
	Tall X Tall cross
	Flowers in 5-6 years
	Suitable for all coconut growing areas
	Production capacity:
		12,000 nuts/ha/year
		3.5 Mt copra/ha/year
Dwarf X Tall (CRIC 65) hybrid
	Dwarf X Tall cross
	Flowers in 3-4 years
	Specially recommended for home gardens
	Production capacity:
		Exceed 20,000 nuts/ha/year
		5 Mt of copra/ha/year
Tall X San ramon (SRISL 98) hybrid
	Tall X San Ramon cross
	Large nut size and high copra productivity
	Suitable for all ecological growing areas
Moorock tall
	Estate selected tall variety
	Recommended for wet zone

optimum density 158 palms/ha 64 - 65 palms/ac Monoculture Square system Spacing No. of seedlings Meters Feet Per ha Per ac 8.0 x 8.0 26 x26 158 64 Triangular system Spacing No. of seedlings Meters Feet Per ha Per ac 8.5 x 8.5 x 8.5 28 x 28 x 28 158 64 Rectangular system Spacing No. of seedlings Meters Feet Per ha Per ac 7.3 x 8.5 24 x28 164 65 Inter-cropping system Spacing No. of seedlings Meters Feet Per ha Per ac 7.3 x 9.2 24 x30 149 61 7.3 x 11.1 24 x 32 140 57                            Replanting is essential when; Age of majority of palms is more than 60 years Yield is less than 1000 nuts/ac/yr Two types of Planting methods; Replanting – Planting seedlings after complete removal of the old plantation Underplanting – Planting seedlings in between existing rows of old plantation and gradual removal of them within a 5-6 year period after planting of seedlings Remove the remaining old stand gradually in stages; 1st year after planting – 15% 2nd year after planting – 15% 3rd year after planting – 20% 4th year after planting – 20% 5th year after planting – remaining palms Lining To mark the planting holes at the correct distance and density, one of the following methods could be adopted Square planting (8 m x 8 m ) Rectangular planting (7.3 m x 8.5 m ) Triangular planting (8 m x 8 m x 8 m) Planting holes Sandy and Loamy soils – 3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft Gravelly, Cabooky, Quartzitic soils – 4ft x 4 ft x 4ft Planting Seedlings Arrange two layers of husks or coir dust at the bottom of the planting hole. Fill the hole with top soil, mixed with 1 Kg dolomite, organic manure 5 Kg and 1 kg Young Palm Mixture. Young Palm Mixture Wet and Intermediate zones Dry zone Fertilizer Amount (g) Fertilizer Amount (g) Urea 250 Urea 250 Eppawela Rock Phosphate 750 Eppawela Rock Phosphate 500 Muriate of Potash 250 Muriate of Potash 250 Planting hole should be filled with the above mixture up to 20 cm below the ground level. Cut and remove the bottom of the poly bag with a knife. Place the bottomless poly bagged seedling in the centre of the prepared hole. Lift and remove the poly bag carefully without disturbing the soil. Preventive treatment against termite attack. Immerse the nut of the seedling for a few minutes with insecticide solution in the case bear rooted seedlings. For poly bagged seedlings drench around with 1 liter of insecticide solution. Insecticide solutions 40 ml of Chloropyrofos in 10 liters of water. 20 ml of Admire in 10 liters of water. Inorganic fertilizer: Basal dressing per planting hole at the time of planting Wet and Intermediate zones Dry zone Fertilizer Amount (g) Fertilizer Amount (g) Urea 250 Urea 64 Eppawela Rock Phosphate 750 Eppawela Rock Phosphate 500 Muriate of Potash 250 Muriate of Potash 250 Dolomite 1000 Dolomite 1000   Young Palms Mixture – application once in every six months Wet and Intermediate zones Dry zone Fertilizer (g) 6 months 1 Year 1 ½ Year 2 Year 2 ½ Year 3 Year 3 ½ Year 4 Year up to bearing Urea 190 235 235 305 305 375 375 470 Eppawela Rock Phosphate 420 530 530 690 690 850 850 1060 Muriate of Potash 190 235 235 305 305 375 375 470 Dolomite 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 Improved cultivars (CRIC 60, CRIC 65 and CRISL 98) and high yielding palms. 1 ½ times the above rates is recommended. Inorganic Fertilizer (mixtures) For basal dressings Young Palm Mixture for the wet and the intermediate zones (YPM-W) Urea 2.0 parts by weight Eppawela Rock Phosphate 4.5 parts by weight Muriate of Potash 2.0 parts by weight NPK composition of the mixture 11 % N, 16%P2O5, 14%K2O (11-16-14) Young Palm Mixture for the dry zone (YPM D) Urea 2 parts by weight Eppawela Rock Phosphate 3 parts by weight Muriate of Potash 2 parts by weight NPK composition of the mixture   Nitrogen deficiency Apply recommended fertilizer mixtures Apply 200g of Urea per palm or 100g of Urea per young palm per year in addition to the application of recommended fertilizer mixtures. Potassium deficiency Apply recommended fertilizer mixtures Apply 500g of Muriate of potash per adult palm per year in addition to the application of recommended fertilizer mixtures. Magnesium deficiency Keserite (24% MgO) should be applied as; Young palms (1 year after planting up to bearing) – 500g per palm half yearly Adult palms – 1kg per palm half yearly Boron Apply 10% solution of sodium borate as a foliar spray at every 4 days up to one month.