Nutritional Requirement of Coconut and Coconut Based Farming Systems in India
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2007-02
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The growth of young palms is influenced maximum by N, followed by K. While the effect of P has been marginal, it shows favourable interactions with N and K on growth and nut yield. Nutrient removal studies indicate that K is the dominant requirement for increasing the productivity of the palm. Increased rates of N had an adverse effect on copra content while K showed beneficial effect on all production factors. The hybrids (COD x WCT and its reciprocal cross) did not show response to levels beyond 500 g N + 500 g P2O5 + 1000 g foO/palm/year under rainfed conditions while high yielding West Coast Tall showed response to 1000 g N + 1000 g P2O5 + 2000 g K20/palm/year. Magnesium has been a limiting nutrient in coastal sandy and laterite soils and the correction of Mg deficiency leads to 30-35 per cent increase in yield. Recycling long-term resources of soil P has been suggested and 10 to 12 ppm soil available P was found to sustain adequate P supply to palms. Boron is found to be a limiting element, particularly in the north-eastern region, leading to Crown Choke disorder in the palm which is corrected by judicious application of boron. The growth of young palms and yields of bearing palms were not affected when 50 per cent of K requirement was replaced by sodium chloride (common salt). Limited organic farming with leguminous green manure crop in the coconut manuring circle is an encouraging practice for improving the fertility and nitrogen use efficiency. Coconut based high density cropping systems are found to require proportionately lower quantities of mineral fertilisers.
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In : Advances in Coconut Research and Development 1993 (Eds.)MK Nair, HH Khan; P Gopalasundaram ; EVV Bhaskara Rao, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. New Delhi, 759 p(International symposium on Coconut Research and Development (ISOCRAD*II), 26-29 November 1991, CPCRI, Kasaragod) 257-275