NPK Nutrition of Coconut Palm—A Review
| dc.contributor.author | Nelliat, E.V. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2014-07-08T09:06:46Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2014-07-08T09:06:46Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2007-02 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The available information on NPK nutrition of the coconut palm has been reviewed. To produce seedlings with favourable nutrient status and facilitate their quicker growth and early bearing, it was found necessary to rnanure the coconut nursery adequately. NPK fertilisation has been found essential even during the prebearing stage, since the damages caused by deficiency in the early years persisted and were not rectified fully by later ameliorative measures. The first dose of fertilisers may be applied three months after transplanting in the main field at 1/10th the adult palm dosage. The young palms may be fertilised with 1/3 and 2/3 the adult palm dose during the first and second year respectively and the full dose from the third year. Based on the nutrients removal by the crop and field experimental evidences, the general dose of fertilisers for palms yielding about 50 nuts per annum had been found to be 500 g N, 320 g P2O5 and 1200 g K2O per palm, per year. Palms with higher yield potential may be given .1.0 kg N, 0.5 kg P2O5 and 2.0 kg K2O per palm, per year. Application of the annual dose of fertilisers in two or more splits had been found highly beneficial in increasing the yield and quality of nut. Also to obtain higher efficiency in the uptake of applied nutrients, fertilisers art to be applied in circular basins 20 to 25 cm deep and 1.5 to 1.8 m radius, round the base of palms. Nitrogen increased trunk height and production of leaves, bunches and female flowers, but adversely affected the nut characters. K improved the leaf area, leaf colour, setting of female flowers, size of nut and weight of nut. Although the effect of P as such was negligible, it had proved beneficial in the presence of N or K. The critical levels of nutrients in the leaves had been determined as 1.8 to 2.0% nitrogen, 0.12 to 0.14% P and 0.8 to 1.0% K on dry matter basis. However, the organic anion concentration in the leaves may be a more valid index of the optimal nutritional status of the palm. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | J.Plantn.Crops 1974 v-1 suppl. p-70-80 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/3859 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.title | NPK Nutrition of Coconut Palm—A Review | en_US |
| dc.type | Article | en_US |