COGENT 1

N e w s l e t t e rCOGENT

ISSUE 3 MAY 2000 ISSN 1563-4396

ContentsFrom the Secretariat

New IPGRI-APO Regional Director 2COGENT Steering Committee

COGENT Priorities and Immediate Concerns 3COGENT Steering Committee Workplan for 2000 3COGENT Steering Committee Members 1999-2000 4

National Programme ReportsEvaluation of Performance for Suitable Varietiesin Vietnam 4National Programme on Coconut in India 5Coconut Research in Vanuatu 7Coconut Research and Development in Ghana 9

Feature ArticlesRennell Island Tall 10Coconut in Hinduism 12

Ongoing ProjectsFour Pacific Island Countries to Conserve PreciousCoconut Germplasm 13Enhancing the Incomes and Nutrition of CoconutFarmers in the Asia Pacific Region 13IPGRI and COGENT Initiate Research toImprove In Vitro Techniques 15Latin America/Caribbean and African Countriesto Promote Sustainable Coconut Production 16

Partner InstitutionsCentre de Coopération Internationale en RechercheAgronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) 17

Publications 17COGENT Databases

Coconut Literature Infobase (CLI) 18Farmers’ Varieties and Multipurpose Uses of theCoconut Database 18

COGENT Bulletin BoardADB - and IFAD - funded Project Annual Meetings19International Coconut Genebank Workshop 199th Steering Committee Meeting 19International Coconut Conference (ICC) 19Coconut Embryo Culture Training Course 19International Workshop on Coconut Mite(Aceria Gurreronis) 20

The coconut, Cocos nucifera L., is a small-holder crop, grown on 11.6 millionhectares in 86 countries. It is the ‘tree oflife’ as it can produce products for food,shelter and energy to farm households,and various commercial and industrialproducts. Fully developed and strategi-cally used, it could increase food produc-tion, improve nutrition, generate income,create employment, enhance equity andprotect the environment. The coconut,however, faces several problems thataffect its production and competitivenesssuch as low yield, unstable market for itstraditional products, pests and diseases,natural calamities, ageing of palms, andgenetic erosion.

High-yielding and locally adaptedcoconut varieties need to be developedto address some of the above-mentionedproblems and ensure sustainable coconutproduction. To achieve this objective,efficient use of diverse coconut geneticresources is imperative. In many cases,the range of germplasm in each countryis not sufficiently wide to meet breedingrequirements. Diverse germplasm maybe found in other countries which canonly be known if information is available.Thus, there is a need to document andshare germplasm data in order to allowcoconut breeders to select and accessgermplasm in other locations for use intheir breeding work.

In recognition of this need, the Interna-tional Plant Genetic Resources Institute(IPGRI) and the International CoconutGenetic Resources Network (COGENT)initiated a collaborative project with theCentre de Coopération Internationaleen Recherche Agronomique pour leDéveloppement (CIRAD) in 1992 todevelop an International Coconut

Genetic Resources Database (CGRD).Network member countries are collabo-rating through COGENT to gatherand submit data to the database. CIRADis the implementing agency for thisproject which is funded by the Frenchgovernment.

The purpose of the CGRD is to documentand disseminate passport andcharacterization data on conservedgermplasm, facilitate internationalinformation exchange and promoteaccess to populations which breedersrequire to achieve their breedingobjectives. Efforts are being made toinclude molecular analysis data of thegermplasm in the CGRD. To operate thedatabase, CIRAD has developed asoftware that would enable each memberof the network to incorporate their owndata, have access to the data of the othermembers and share information. Thedatabase is updated regularly and sharedwith coconut breeders worldwide.

To date, passport and characterizationdata of 1316 accessions in 24 sites in 20COGENT member countries have beenincorporated into the database (Table 1).

Coconut breeders can now use the datain the CGRD to select and requestgermplasm for their breeding work.

Coconut Database Management (CDM)

The success of the CGRD depends on theeffective gathering and submission ofadequate data by COGENT networkmember countries. To help thesecountries gather and document datamore effectively, the Coconut DatabaseManagement (CDM) software is being

COGENT Establishes An International CoconutGenetic Resources Database (CGRD)

By Luc Baudouin1 , Roland Bourdeix2 , Francois Bonnot3 , Ch. Hamelin4 and Andre Rouzière5

(Continued On Page 2)

COGENT 2

Dr. Percy E. Sajise has beenappointed as the new RegionalDirector of IPGRI Office for Asia, thePacific and Oceania (APO) witheffect from 10 January 2000. He wasformerly the Director of theSoutheast Asia Ministers ofEducation Organization-RegionalCenter for Graduate Study andResearch in Agriculture (SEAMEO

SEARCA) based in the Philippines.

Dr. Sajise is a citizen of the Philippines. He obtained his MScand PhD in Plant Ecology from Cornell University, U.S.A.He also holds a BSc in Agricultural Botany from theUniversity of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB). Prior tohis SEARCA stint, he held notable positions as Division Headand Development Action Coordinator of the Institute of

Environmental Science and Management (IESAM) at UPLB(1989 - 1994); and Director of the Program on EnvironmentalScience and Management at UPLB (1978 - 1986).

In addition to the above, Dr. Sajise is currently the Chairmanof the Philippine National Work Group on BiodiversityResearch and has been a member of a variety of differentlocal and global committees. He served as ExecutiveSecretary of the Asian Association of Agricultural Collegesand Universities (AAACU) and as Coordinator and Chairof the Southeast Asian Universities Agroecosystem Network(SUAN). He also served as Co-Principal Investigator of aproject on Conditions of Biodiversity Maintenance in Asiafrom 1994 to 1999. Dr. Sajise was also a Professor at theUniversity of the Philippines, and a member of the CIFORBoard of Trustees.

We welcome Dr. Sajise to IPGRI-APO.

From the Secretariat

New IPGRI-APO Regional Director

(Continued From Page 1)

developed by CIRAD to enable breedersto record data on a per palm basis.Through this system, it would be possibleto aggregate and analyze data on severalvariables/characters required to fill inthe CGRD. An interesting feature of theCDM is the module for cartographicrepresentation of the palms in each field,making it possible to display and modifypalm characteristics on a map.

Several activities for the CGRD projectare proposed by CIRAD, which includetraining of researchers on the use of theCDM software, on the management andtransfer of data to the CGRD andprovision of technical support to nationalprogrammes.

The CGRD has made a significantcontribution to the documentation anddissemination of coconut geneticresources data worldwide. The CGRD willthus provide tremendous help to breedersin their selection of germplasm for theiruse in developing improved coconutvarieties for resource-poor farmers.

1 Amelioration Cocotier, CIRAD; 2 Researcherin Plant Breeding, CIRAD; 3 Biometrician,CIRAD; 4 Coconut Researcher, CIRAD; 5Head of Coconut Programme, CIRAD

Table 1: Sources of data in the CGRD

Country Site Number ofAccessions

Bangladesh BARI 4India CPCRI/Kasaragod 212Pakistan Pakistan Agricultural Research Council 32Sri Lanka Coconut Research Institute/Lunuwila 78Total for South Asian Region 326Thailand Chumphon Hort. Research Centre 52Indonesia Bone Bone Expt. Garden/S. Sulawesi 41

Mapanget Expt. Garden/N. Sulawesi 65Pakuwon Expt. Garden/W. Java 25Sikijang Exp. Garden/Riau 25

Philippines Philippines Coconut Authority/Zamboanga 224Malaysia MARDI/Hilir Perak 44

Department of Agriculture/Sabah 48Vietnam Dong Go Experimental Centre 31Total for Southeast Asian Region 555Fiji Coconut Centre/Taveuni 11Papua New Guinea CCRI/Keravat 3

Jim Grose Research Station/Madang 54Vanuatu Coconut Research Station/Saraoutou 66Samoa Min. of Agriculture, Forestry, Fish. & Meteorology 9Solomon Islands Yandina 21Total for South Pacific Region 164Benin Coconut Research Center/Semi Podji 4Côte d’Ivoire Station Cocotier Marc Delorme/Port Bouet 99Tanzania NCDP/Dar Es Salaam 72Total for African Region 175Brazil EMBRAPA/Aracaju 16Jamaica Coconut Industry Board/Kingston 60Mexico Centro de Investig. Cientifica de Yucatan 20Total for Latin America-Caribbean Region 96GRAND TOTAL 1316

COGENT 3

During the 8th COGENT Steering Committee meeting in HoChi Minh City, Vietnam in September 1999, the proposedactivities of COGENT in 2000 were presented and endorsedby the Steering Committee members. These activities aredivided into several components, namely; coordination andcapacity building; documentation and information; germplasmcollecting, conservation, characterization, evaluation and use;and socioeconomic and development aspects.

Under the coordination and capacity building component,the activities planned for 2000 include enhancing theeffectiveness of ongoing projects; strengthening the fivesubnetworks through strengthening national coordination;rationalizing policy on network membership; recruitingadditional members based on agreed policy; and formulatingcollaborative projects and activities.

Activit ies planned under the documentation andinformation component include publishing the COGENTNewsletter and project/meeting reports; and developingthe COGENT webpage, and database on coconutliterature and farmers’ varieties. Meanwhile, activitiesplanned for the germplasm collecting component includereviewing and finalizing the consultant’s report on thecollecting strategy before submitting it to the SC andIPGRI, and circulating it to the member countries.

The conservation activities include developing aGermplasm Health Operations Manual for theInternational Coconut Genebanks (ICGs); finalizingthe proposals for ICG-Southeast and East Asia, SouthAsia, South Pacific, and Africa and the Indian Oceanfor submission to suitable donors; finalizing the sitesuitability study reports for ICG-Latin America andidentification of suitable donors; and implementingthe DFID-funded embryo culture project in 11countries.

For germplasm characterization, evaluation and usecomponent, the activities include implementing theCFC-funded multi location trials in six countries;accelerating characterization data gathering to includebasic molecular marker data in the CGRD; and monitoringprogress of work in 18 countries involved in theevaluation of hybrid and varietal performance by theAsian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC). Lastly,the activities planned under the socioeconomic anddevelopment aspects include developing strategiesfor in situ conservation under coconut-based farmingsystems; and feasibility studies for enhancingincomes using multipurpose varieties in Bangladesh,Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand andVietnam.

COGENT Steering Committee

COGENT Steering Committee Workplan for 2000

COGENT priorities and immediate concerns have beenrevised by the Steering Committee (SC) during the 8 th

Steering Committee meeting on 20-22 September 1999 inHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to include the following:

1. Collecting, conserving, evaluating and enhancingcoconut germplasm of member countries;

2. Locating and characterizing genetic diversity studiesusing morphometric and molecular biology techniques;

3. Conservation in national and regional fieldgenebanks, in situ conservation and cryopreservation;

4. Developing and updating guidelines on coconutbreeding research techniques and coconut collectingand conservation strategies;

5. Developing new initiatives for collaborative researchon drought and cold tolerance, disease resistance andothers;

6. Developing a globally coordinated molecular marker-assisted coconut breeding programme involvingadvanced laboratories and member countries;

7. Conducting multilocation trials in coconut-growingcountries to identify productive and adapted varieties

and hybrids based on yields and multipurpose usesunder different production niches;

8. Collecting additional passport and characterizationdata, and disseminating the information to enhancethe usefulness of the Coconut Genetic ResourcesDatabase (CGRD);

9. Developing a database on farmers’ varieties andmultipurpose uses of the coconut;

10. Refining and fund sourcing for the coconut regionalprojects for the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC),and Africa and the Indian Ocean (AIO) subnetworks;

11. Promoting public awareness on activities gearedtoward sustainable development of the coconut andpoverty alleviation among smallholders;

12. Conducting short-term courses on specific areas thatrequire strengthening and long-term courses up toMaster of Science level for human resource development;and

13. Providing technical assistance to enhance the researchcapability of member countries and their effectiveutilization of research results to benefit coconut farmers.

COGENT Priorities and Immediate Concerns

COGENT 4

COGENT Steering Committee National Programme Reports

Evaluation ofPerformance for Suitable

Varieties in VietnamBy Nguyen An Linh1 and Vo Van Long2

Several well-established, high-yielding coconut hybrids wereimported from other countries in 1984 and 1986 as part ofthe national improvement programme of local coconutvarieties in Vietnam. The imported seednuts were sown andthe seedlings planted in seven different adaptability trial sitesin various agroecological zones beginning 1985.

The trials aimed to evaluate the performance of theimported hybrids in comparison with local coconuts inorder to choose suitable varieties for differentagroecological zones of the country. Another objective isto establish trial sites that could also serve asdemonstration plots before the hybrids are finally selectedand planted on a large scale. Since the trials wereconducted in two different times with different hybrids,the results are reported in two separate parts; Trial No.1 (1985) and Trial No. 2 (1987).

Trial No. 1 (1985)

In 1984, under the cooperative programme with theFrench Government, the Oil Plant Institute (OPI) ofVietnam (the former Research Institute for Oils and OilPlants of Vietnam), imported four coconut hybrids fromCôte d’Ivoire. All seednuts were sown in the Binh ThanhStation nursery, Ho Chi Minh City in July 1984, and theseedlings were then transplanted in 1985 to seven sitesin different agroecological zones, from the sandy soil ofcentral Vietnam to the alluvial soils with fresh, brackishor saline water of the Mekong Delta. Due to the limitedquantity of seedlings of imported varieties, the hybridsplanted at each trial site varied from one to four types.

Trial No. 2 (1987)

In 1986-1987, through the 3-year UNDP-FAO projectentitled “Research & Development of Coconut inVietnam”, OPI imported three more hybrids; JVA 1 andJVA 2 from the Philippines and CRI C65 from Sri Lanka.The seednuts were sown in Dong Go ExperimentalCentre, Ben Tre province. The seedlings were also plantedin the Dong Go Experimental Centre, and the Phu DongFarm in the Tien Giang province.

Results

Due to budget restriction, the observations were limitedto the following trial sites; the Luong Hoa Lac, Dong Go

COGENT SteeringCommittee Members

1999-2000For this issue, the following members of COGENTSteering Committee for the year 1999 - 2000 are featured:

S.P. GhoshDr. Ghosh received his BSc inAgriculture from the University ofKalyani, West Bengal in 1961; hisMSc (Horticulture) from P.G. School,Indian Agricultural ResearchInstitute (IARI), New Delhi in 1963and his PhD in Agriculture(Horticulture) from TimiriazevAgriculture Academy, Moscow,

USSR in 1970. Dr. Ghosh started his career as a lecturerin Horticulture at Kalyani University in 1963, and wenton to hold positions of Director of the Central Tuber CropsResearch Institute, Trivandrum; Project Director of WorldBank-funded research project (NARP) and AssistantDirector General (Horticulture) of ICAR in December1996. He was also an Executive Council Member of theInternational Society for Root and Tuber Crops,Netherlands in 1991 - 1996, and was a consultant withthe FAO and the World Bank. Dr. Ghosh is a prolific writerwith 189 publications predominantly on horticulturecrops and horticulture-based cropping systems. He is alsothe author of five technical books.

Pons BatugalDr. Batugal received his BSc inAgriculture, majoring in plantbreeding, cum laude , from theUniversity of the Philippines at LosBaños (UPLB) in 1964; his MSc, witha major in horticulture, from thesame University in 1968 and his PhDin Plant Physiology from theUniversity of California at Davis,

USA in 1972. He was involved in various teaching,research and development activities, ranging from beinga lecturer at UPLB to high-level research and developmentposts, particularly in national (Philippine Council forAgricultural Resources Research and Development) andinternational (International Potato Center) agriculturalinstitutes. Dr. Batugal is currently an IPGRI SeniorScientist and coordinator for COGENT. He is also amember of the Board of Administrators, Bureau for theDevelopment of Research for Tropical Perennial Crops(BUROTROP).

COGENT 5

Experimental Center and the GiongTrom Farm for Trial No. 1, and theDong Go Experimental Center for TrialNo. 2. The hybrids were planted in arandomized complete block designwith 2-8 treatments, 5-6 replicationsand with Green Ta as local control.Observations were carried out in twostages of development of the coconutpalms using the French IRHOprocedures of measurement foradaptability trials.

The hybrids planted in 1985 had shownhigher economic efficiency than thelocal varieties under the same plantingand maintenance conditions. This wasevaluated according to the criteria oftotal nuts, copra and oil per tree, wherethe hybrids always had significantlyhigher values than the local Ta andDau. Among the sites, which havedifferent conditions of soils, water

National Programme Reports

and maintenance, those with morefavourable conditions gave higherefficiency.

For the hybrids planted in 1987, thevegetative growths were nearly thesame for all varieties. However, theflowering and bearing rates of thehybrids were better than the localvarieties.

There were no unfamiliar harmfulagents observed from the importedseednuts. Most of the existingcoconut pests and diseases ofVietnam had not caused any seriousdamage and there had been nodistinct difference between thehybrids and the local varieties withregards to the damage levels.

1 Coconut Breeder, OPI, Vietnam2 Coconut Scientist, OPI, Vietnam

NationalProgramme on

Coconut inIndia

K.U.K. Nampoothiri1 , V.A.Parthasarathy2 and M. Elangovan3

Coconut plays a significant role inthe national economy of India,especially in the areas of ruralemployment and income generation.In recent years, India has attained thetop position in coconut production ofthe world. With an area of 1 .89million ha and a production of 13088million nuts in 1997-98, coconutcontributed 70 billion rupees (US$1.7billion) annually to the country’sGross Domestic Production (GDP).

Coconut is grown under varying soiland climatic conditions in 18 statesand three union territories. TheCoconut Development Board (CDB)manages the developmental workwhile research on coconut is beingcarried out at the Central PlantationCrops Research Institute (CPCRI)and its regional stations, and variouscentres of All India CoordinatedResearch Project on Palms (AICRP),which is under the Indian Council forAgricultural Research (ICAR).

The National Agricultural CooperatingMarketing Federation (NAFED) isthe central nodal agency for theprocurement of milling and ballcopra under the price supportscheme of the Government of India.The price support scheme is to ensurefarmers a minimum support pricethat is set by the Commission forAgricultural Costs and Prices(CACP) set up by the government.

Coconuts are utilized both as tenderand mature nuts. As much as 48 % ofthe coconut production is used foredible and religious purposes, 10 % as

(Continued On Page 6)Malayan Red Dwarf in the Dong Go Experimental Centre, Ben Tre Province.

COGENT 6

tender coconut, roughly 30 % as millingcopra for oil extraction, 8 % for themanufacture of edible copra and thebalance is processed into products suchas desiccated coconut and coconutcream. In India, it is estimated thatabout 40 % of the total production ofcoconut oil is consumed for ediblepurpose, 46 % for toiletry use and about14 % for industrial uses. The demand forcoconut by 2002 is projected at 24 000million nuts at 10% growth rate. Theprojection of coconut area by 2002 is 2.67million ha with a growth rate of 6%.

Coir and coir products earned aboutUS$ 2922 million in 1998-99. Coir asgeo-textiles is a recent end useapplication of the coir fibre in the worldmarket. It has an immense potential asan income generating product forcoconut farmers in India and for export.

CPCRI holds the world’s largestgermplasm collection of 132accessions (46 indigenous and 86exotic) field planted and bearing.Kidu in Karnataka, India was selectedas the site for the InternationalCoconut Genebank for South Asia(ICG-SA) where 200 accessions are

expected to be planted. The institutehas one of the oldest and strongestresearch facilities in the world withthe mandate to develop appropriateproduction, protection and processingtechnologies for palms.

Activities include the release ofLaccadive Ordinary (LO), PhilippinesOrdinary (PO), Chowghat OrangeDwarf (COD) X West Coast Tall(WCT), WCT X COD and LO X CODcoconut for cultivation based on theirbetter performance over local talls.Seventy-six ex vitro established plantsbelonging to different accessionscollected from the Indian OceanIslands were transferred to the nethouse for field planting. Other areasof research include embryo cultureand DNA marker technology.

The productivity of coconut based onhigh-density crop model could bemaintained at higher levels even withsub-optimal doses of fertilizers byproper recycling of biomass in thesystem. Vermicompost, preparedfrom coconut waste and coir pith,was found to be an ideal carrier in thepreparation of biofertilizers of nitrogenfixing Beijerinckia indica and phosphatesolubilizing bacteria. Research on

National Programme Reports

physiological genetics of droughttolerance has led to the understandingof gene action for drought tolerance.

New surveys were conducted in hotspots in Kerala to identify root (wilt)disease tolerant elite mother palms.A cheap and effective controlmeasure has been recommended forleaf rot disease. Control method forbiological suppression of major pestslike rhinoceros beetle and Nephantisserinopa have been identified.

Eriophyid mite infestation is regardedas a serious pest in the Kerala andTamil Nadu provinces. Root feedingwith 10 ml Monocrotophos dilutedwith 10 ml water given three timesat monthly interval has been foundto be effective in controlling the pest.A technology for the production ofoyster mushroom from palm wasteshas been standardized.

The objectives of the research activitiesof the All India Coordinated ResearchProject on Palms (AICRPP) are to i)collect, conserve, catalogue andevaluate germplasm, new hybrids andhigh yielding varieties in coconut; ii)standardize agrotechnique for variousagro-climatic regions and developappropriate farming/cropping systemcompatible with the main crop; and iii)develop effective and efficient diseaseand pest management strategies.

An important activity of the instituteis to disseminate research results to theextension agencies and the farmingcommunity through pamphlets,training programmes on variousaspects of production technology,exhibitions and production of qualityplanting material for supply to thefarmers and research centres. These arestrengthened through Krishi VigyanKendra (KVK) and the Institute VillageLinkage Programme (IVLP).

1 Director, CPCRI, India2 Principal Scientist & Head CropImprovement Division, CPCRI, India3 Scientist(Economic Botany), CPCRI,IndiaCoconuts are utilized as tender nuts.

(Continued From Page 5)

COGENT 7

National Programme Reports

Coconut, together with rootcrops, is themost important staple food in Vanuatu.It is grown on an estimated area of 91000 hectares. Eighty per cent of theproduction is by smallholders with anaverage area of 3.4 ha per family. Copraremains the main source of income forthe rural population especially in theisolated islands. Copra exportsconstitute 30 to 50% of total exportearning with an annual productionbetween 35 000 and 40 000 metric tons.

Coconut research in Vanuatu started in1962 with the establishment of theSaraoutou station in the northernisland of Santo. Since 1994, the stationhas been integrated into the VanuatuAgricultural Research and TrainingCenter (VARTC) and is managed byCentre de Coopération Internationaleen Recherche Agronomique pour leDéveloppement (CIRAD), a Frenchresearch institution. Coconut researchremains an important activity for thecenter, together with cocoa, rootcrops(yam, taro, sweet potato), coffee, kava(Piper methysticum ) and livestock.VARTC is the implementing agency ofprojects funded by the VanuatuGovernment, French institutions,European Union and IPGRI. The

agency collaborates with severalnetworks such as the Pacific RegionalAgricultural Programme (PRAP) andCOGENT.

Vanuatu’s coconut research pro-gramme focuses on coconut breedingand genetic improvement through: themanagement of an important fieldgenebank and hybrid trials; implemen-tation of a regional project and itsparticipation in COGENT activities;physiological method of predictingproductivity of coconut palm; andoptimization of the coconut-basedfarming systems. Four scientists, in-cluding two senior scientists fromCIRAD, and five research assistants arecurrently working on this programme.

Coconut breeding and geneticimprovement

At the national level, VARTC providesplanting material (seednuts andseedlings) to farmers and establishesa breeding programme to improve theperformance of the local tall cultivar bycrossing it with other ecotypes.

The main objective of the programmeis to increase the yield and resistance

to the coconut foliar decay disease.This viral disease, transmitted by theinsect Myndus taffini, is endemic inVanuatu. The local coconut ecotypesare resistant but all the exotic ones(and most of the hybrids) are moreor less susceptible and die rapidly.Only two hybrids show a goodresistance to the disease; VanuatuRed Dwarf x Vanuatu Tall (VRD xVTT), and Vanuatu Tall x RennellTall. Due to its good productionpotential of 3 metric tons copra/haat 240 grams copra per nut, farmersgive preference to the Vanuatu Tallx Rennell Tall. At present, a breedingprogramme is being developed toimprove the performance of thishybrid by selecting the best parentpopulations of VTT and RIT, andtesting several crossings.

In the domain of genetic resources,VARTC is managing one of the mostimportant field genebanks in theSouth Pacific. It comprises of 38distinct ecotypes (14 dwarf and 24tall) and 14 local populationsintroduced from Africa, Asia, SouthAmerica and the Pacific area. Thisgenebank is regularly rejuvenatedand enriched with new populationscollected in the country. The collectingis currently being carried out in theframework of two COGENT projectsfunded by the International Fund forAgricultural Development and theAsian Development Bank. Throughparticipatory surveys with the ruralcommunities, several islands areprospected in order to collectinformation on local names and usesof coconut populations, and to get anoverview of the coconut geneticdiversity in Vanuatu.

At the regional level, VARTC hasbeen implementing, since 1989, aproject called “Production andDissemination of Improved Coconut

Coconut Research in VanuatuBy Jean-Pierre Labouisse1 and Dr. Olivier Roupsard 2

Hand pollination for creating hybrid at the VARTC. (Continued On Page 8)

COGENT 8

Cultivars” (PDICC), in the frameworkof PRAP funded by the EuropeanUnion. Eight countries collaborate inthis project, namely, Fiji, Kiribati,Papua New Guinea, Samoa, SolomonIsland, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.Between 1992 and 1999, 39 newhybrid crossings were created byhand pollination and eight trialswere successfully established inSaraoutou station. This represents atotal surface area of 57 ha withapproximately 8800 palms underobservation. Each trial incorporateshybrids created by crossing diversedwarf cultivars with a tall cultivarfrom other Pacific countries. Theresults of these trials will permit theconstruction of a database whichwould be beneficial for the researchand extension services within theregion. The countries will be advisedto reproduce the best crossings byusing their own germplasms andseed gardens.

Training courses on coconut breedingand production of hybrid plantingmaterials are also organized.

Coconut palm physiology andoptimization of coconut-basedfarming systems

The objectives of the agro-physiologyprogramme are to foresee theproductivity and yield of stands, andoptimize the cultivation techniquesand farmers’ incomes. Managementof coconut plantations wastraditionally based on empiricalknowledge. Although it was of highdemonstrative value, it did not takeinto account the functionalphysiology of coconut trees andpartners, or their response to theclimate. Prediction value was thus,limited in time and space. Thephysiological method was chosenwith the help of models developedby the research programme. Thesoftware tools represent and predictproductivity from physiology andclimate data.

National Programme Reports

On VARTC experi-mental plots, nu-merous physiologi-cal parameters deter-mining the coconut archi-tecture and the response toclimate are measured, namely; therate of organ production and growthrate (dry mass) of every coconut com-partment, light interception and trans-mission by canopies, photosynthesis,respiration rates, organ composition,and tree transpiration (assessed withthe help of sap flow gauges placed inthe trunk). From these measurements,allocation of dry mass to the compart-ments is inferred and 3-D mock-ups arebuilt. The carbon balance is being com-puted and compared to the dry matterbalance.

All parameters are gathered into amechanistic construction, where themain aspects of functioning anddevelopment are summed up. Forinstance, the amount of lightintercepted by coconuts can becomputed on numerical mock-ups(Fig. 1). The response of theproductivity of each partner to theamount of intercepted light is beingestablished. Root growth andcompetition can also be estimated.

Virtual plantations are now being usedto compare with the real ones in order

to assess the validity of simulations.Various virtual coconut-basedplantations will then be assessed oncomputers for optimizing yield, takinginto account genotypes, type ofassociation, density, age, etc.

Besides these basic research activities,surveys are being organized by ruralcommunities in coconut growing areasto collect information on existingfarming systems and to characterizethe agricultural situations. In thefuture, different models of foodcrop/coconut intercropping systems willbe tested in order to recommend tococonut farmers a sustainableagricultural production system witha more effective use of available land.

1 Plant Breeder, Head of CoconutDivision, VARTC, Vanuatu2 Plant Physiologist, VARTC, Vanuatu

Figure 1. 3D mock-up oflight intercepted daily byone coconut tree located in a9 x 9m stand.

(Continued From Page 7)

COGENT 9

Coconut is the most important cash cropalong the coastal belt of Ghana. Theindustry provides direct employmentfor approximately 8% of the total ruralpopulation. Coconut oil processing isone of the main occupations forwomen in the rural communities.Sometimes, it is the only incomegenerating activity available to them.

At present, Ghana’s coconut researchprogramme is focused on thefollowing objectives:• Developing and evaluating coconut

ecotypes for high yield and toleranceto Cape St. Paul Wilt Disease (CSPWD)

• Finding the vector of CSPWD• Conducting epidemiological studies

of the CSPWD• Improving coconut oil mills in villages• Controlling the Oryvtes sp and

Pseudotheraptus devastans diseases• Developing coconut-based farming

systems

The incidence of a lethal yellowing typedisease referred to as Cape St. PaulWilt disease (CSPWD) has had a majorinfluence on the coconut research pro-gramme in Ghana. Previous and ongo-ing coconut research activities sup-ported by the Government of France,the European Union under its Scienceand Technology for Development, theOverseas Development Administration(U.K) and the World Bank, have ledto considerable advances in finding ahybrid tolerant to CSPWD.

The Coconut Sector DevelopmentProject was launched with supportfrom Agence Francais Developpmentin collaboration with CIRAD. Theproject aims to replant the zonesdevastated by the CSPWD with toleranthybrids; improve the productivity ofthe unaffected farms by providingcredit to farmers for maintenance andfertilizer; and improve the efficiency ofthe village mill.

National Programme Reports

Coconut Research andDevelopment in Ghana

By Sylvester K. Dery1

The practice of growing coconut as alow-input monocrop (no fertilizer andminimal maintenance) has resulted inlow yields, thus making coconut non-competitive in areas where other cashcrops can flourish. Intercropping andthe incorporation of small ruminantshave been shown to increase theprofitability of coconut cultivation.These coconut-based farming systemsare being studied in Ghana. Althoughvector management as an option forCSPWD control may not hold muchpromise, knowledge of the vector canhelp breeders reduce the resistance-screening period considerably.

Studies on the epidemiology of CapeSt. Paul Wilt Disease (CSPWD) arebeing conducted in collaborationwith Rothamstead ExperimentalStation (U.K) and N.R.I. (U.K).Molecular biology methods are beingused to study the latent periods ofCSPWD. The control of a majorcoconut pest, the rhinoceros beetleOryctes sp., using pheromones andmetharhyzium, is also being studied.

Coconut oil processing in Ghana isconducted mainly in village oil millsusing the wet method. The efficiency ofthis method is very low and even aftera second milling, extraction efficiencyis still between 60 - 65%. This makes theresultant residue too oily to be used asanimal feed. Funding has been securedfrom Agence Francais Developpmentto improve the oil extraction efficiency.This activity is also being done incollaboration with CIRAD.

The activities described would hopefullycontribute to Ghana’s research pro-gramme on improving rural employmentand agriculture industry linkage throughthe increased production of coconut.

1 Coordinator, Coconut Research Programme,Oil Palm Research Institute, Ghana.

Coconuts Names fromthe Rennell Island

This list is extracted from the‘Dictionary of the Language ofRennell and Bellona Islands -Volume III (Part 1)’ by Samuel H.Elbert. It clearly confirms thatmany coconut types co-exist onthe Rennell Island.

Niu (1) Coconut tree (Cocosnucifera L.)

Niu (2) Liberation of fresh wateror water squeezed from a bananastalk (as of tai ) and pouredceremonially from a coconut shellwith ritual formulas, as to curesickness or cleanse a garden ofevil gods

niu ‘agiki (n. ‘angiki) A coconuttree with nut whose flesh formsquickly

niu ‘atua A coconut tree with nutwhose flesh forms slowly

niu ghope A kind of coconutwith light yellowish nuts,perhaps named for the flesh ofthe tuber

niu kehu A common kind ofcoconut with rather orange nuts

niu mata mea A kind of coconutwith reddish husk at the end withthe eyes

niu ngau An introduced coconutwith edible husk

niu taka. A coconut whose fleshis loose and drying

niu tea A kind of coconut with ahard shell

niu uga (n. unga) A kind ofcoconut with reddish-colourednuts

niu ‘ui. A kind of coconut withdark green nuts

COGENT 10

Feature Articles

According to the Coconut GeneticResources Database (CGRD) version1999, the Rennell Island Tall cultivar(RIT) is represented worldwide by 19accessions and 2695 individual palms.At least 11 germplasm conservationcentres are involved in this conser-vation process, namely, Brazil, Côted’Ivoire, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Jamaica,Papua New Guinea, Samoa, SolomonIslands, Tanzania and Vanuatu. Theregistered accession sizes are highlyvariable, from only two palms inIndia to 561 in Côte d’Ivoire.

Côte d’Ivoire exported more than tenthousand RIT seednuts from 1970 to1981. Among the countries involvedwas Benin, which received 300seednuts in 1978; Cameroon with1570 seednuts from 1975 to 1979;Malaysia with 950 seednuts in 1974and 1979; Mexico with 1500 seednutsin 1979; Mozambique with 150seednuts in 1974; Thailand with 549seednuts in 1974 and 1976; and SaoTome, which received 275 seednuts.The largest introduction was done inIndonesia, with more than 5000seedlings imported from Côted’Ivoire in 1976. Seednuts were alsocollected from four palms showingthe spicata form on the Rennell Islandin 1964 and the following years.Spicata is a special form characterized

by inflorescence with a large numberof female flowers growing directly onthe central axis, and with very fewor no spikelets. About 43 of thosepalms have been established atBanika and Yandina Estate, in theSolomon Islands. In 1974, 11 palmsfrom the remaining progeny showedspicata habit (Friend 1976).

The seednuts from the Rennell Islandare selected for their large size. Thefruits are also among the biggest andheaviest in the world. The fruit shapeis quite variable, from oblong to pearshaped. Some of the fruits have along tit or lug at the bottom, whichis quite specific to the RIT cultivar.The colour of the young fruits rangemainly from green to brown-red,although yellow or orange ones areoccasionally found. The fruits havea good composition with a high contentof solid albumen and free water. Insidethe husk, the nut is drop-shaped andpointed at the top (at the germinationside). On the opposite side, the nut isoften terminated by a sort of shell pointof about 10 mm long that grows insidethe husk.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the stem is bulky andstarts with a very big bole, the broadestwithin the introduced cultivars, wherethe vertical growth is a little bit faster

than the West African Tall. The leaf isquite short when taken into account thehuge stem development. Floweringbegins 55 to 60 months after planting.The inflorescence is wide and bendsquite rapidly after opening. It has avery long peduncle and quite a numberof spikelets.

The floral biology has been observedin Côte d’Ivoire. The RIT belongs toCategory II as defined by Rognon(1976). It has an indirect autogamy, ashort female phase with little over-lapping between the male and femalephase of the same inflorescence, butwith a considerable overlapping of thephases of successive inflorescence.

RIT characterization data for sevencountries can be found in the CGRDversion 1999. These data describe thefollowing characteristics: germina-tion rate, stem morphology, leaf,inflorescence and flower morphology,fruit component analysis, and yield.Data for the fruit composition camefrom Tanzania, Thailand, Philippinesand Côte d’Ivoire. The mean weightof the whole fruit ranges from 1443grams in Tanzania to 1707 grams inCôte d’Ivoire. The fresh albumenweight varies from 491 grams inTanzania to 593 grams in Thailand.The mature fruit production is given

Whole palm Fruits Inflorescence Split fruits

Rennell Island TallBy Roland Bourdeix 1 , J.L. Konan2 and Jean-Pierre Labouisse3

COGENT 11

only for Côte d’Ivoire, which produces48 fruits per palm per year, and thePhilippines with 78 fruits per palmper year.

RIT is tolerant to the phytophtoradiseases in Côte d’Ivoire (Franquevilleet al. 1991) and in Indonesia (Darwis1992). The RIT is sensitive to the LethalYellowing Diseases (LYD) in Jamaica(Been 1979), Tanzania (Schuiling et al.1992) and Ghana (Sangare et al. 1992).This cultivar was also classified assensitive to the coconut foliar decay ofVanuatu (Calvez et al. 1985), althoughsome progenies of individual palmshave shown an interesting tolerancelevel. In Papua New Guinea, theScapanes Oryctes or Black Palm weevilcomplex is the major insect problem inthe island region and parts of themainland. Both RIT and its hybrid withthe Malayan Dwarfs are sensitive to it(Faure and Moxon 1998).

It is difficult to list all the crosses whereRIT was involved as parental materialdue to its wide utilization in thebreeding programmes. The hybridMalayan Red Dwarf x RIT is diffusedin many countries in the Pacific region.The improvement of this hybrid beganin the Solomon Islands during the JointCoconut Research Scheme, but it wasunsuccessful. In Vanuatu, the RIT has

Feature Articles

ReferencesBeen, B.O. 1979. Observations on field

resistance to lethal yellowing in coconutvarieties and hybrids in Jamaïca.Cyclostyled. Research Dept. CoconutIndustry Board, Kingston, Jamaica.Oléagineux 36, 1981. P 9-12.

Bourdeix, R., J. Meunier and Y.P N’Cho. 1991.Une stratégie de sélection du cocotier Cocosnucifera L. II. Amélioration des hybridesGrand x Grand. Oléagineux 46. P. 267-282.

Bourdeix R., A. Sangare, J.P. Le Saint, J. Meunier,J.P. Gascon, F. Rognon and and M. de Nucede Lamothe. 1993. Coconut breeding atIRHO and its application in seedproduction. In: Advances in CoconutResearch and Development, Nair, M.K. etal. (eds). Kerala Agricultural University,Kasaragod, India.

Calvez, C., J.F. Julia and M. de Nuce deLamothe. 1985. L’amélioration du cocotierau Vanuatu et son intéret pour la régionPacifique. Oléagineux 40. P. 477-490.

been crossed with at least six dwarf andseven tall cultivars. The hybridbetween the Vanuatu Tall and the RITis tolerant to coconut foliar decay(Calvez 1980) and is disseminated tofarmers who appreciate the increase inyield and the size of the nut comparedto the local Tall. This hybrid is currentlybeing improved using the RITprogenies tolerant to the foliar decaydisease.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the RIT has beencrossed with nine dwarfs and eighttall cultivars. In fact, all the tallcultivars introduced are nowsystematically crossed with the RITand the West African Tall (WAT)(Bourdeix et al. 1991). The hybridsbetween the RIT and the CameroonRed Dwarf (CRD), and the MalayanRed Dwarf (MRD) and the WAT, havealso been improved based onIndividual Combining Ability tests(Bourdeix et al. 1993). In Africa, theperformance of the Rennell Tallhybrids does not seem to be stable.Under good soil and climaticconditions, they achieve very highyields, but during drought periods oron soils with low fertil ity, theirproduction sometimes provesdisappointing. In Côte d’Ivoire, oneof the two improved hybridscurrently distributed is a Rennell

Island Tall cross (with the CRD asfemale). It is recommended to beused only in the most suitable zones.

The Philippines and Indonesia havetested, respectively, at least nine and sixhybrids, including the RIT as parent. InJamaica, the RIT has been crossed withat least three cultivars. These hybridsare also being tested in Papua NewGuinea, Tanzania and Thailand.

Controversy remains about thenumerous seednuts collected fromthe Rennell Island. Even on theisland, the coconut population issaid not to be very homogeneous.M.A. Foale, who visited theRennell Island in 1964, said that thepure true-to-type Rennell, with bigand pointed fruits, is found mainlyaround the volcanic lake on theeastern part of the island. There isa mix between the Rennell Islandand the ordinary type along thecoastal area, known as the SolomonIsland Tall, which has smalleroblong fruits.

1 Coconut Breeder, CIRAD, DelormeResearch Station, Côte d’Ivoire2 Head of Coconut Breeding Section, MarcDelorme Research Station, Côte d’Ivoire3 Head of Coconut Division, VARTC,Vanuatu

Phytophtora heveae en Côte d’Ivoire. In:National Symposium on Coconut Breedingand Management, Kerala AgriculturalUniversity, India.

Friend, D. 1976. Review of the coconut breedingprogramme 1971-1974, Solomon Islandsand Lever’s Pacific Plantations. JointCoconut Research Scheme. Honiara. Pp. 69.

Rognon F. 1976. Biologie florale du cocotier.Oléagineux 31. P. 13-18.

Sangare, A., G. de Taffin, H. de Franqueville,E.D.Arkhust and M.Pomier. LeJaunissement mortel du cocotier au Ghana.Premiers résultats sur le comportement auchamp du matériel végétal. Oléagineux 47.P. 699-704.

Schuiling, M., A. Mpunami, D.A. Kaiza andH.C Harries. 1992. Lethal disease of coconutpalm in Tanzania - low resistance ofimported germplasm. Oléagineux 47. P.693-697.

Calvez, C., J.L. Renard and G. Marty. 1980. Latolérance du cocotier hybride Local x Rennellà la maladie des Nouvelles Hébrides.Oléagineux 35. P. 443-449.

Darwis, S.N. and H.T. Luntungan. 1992. Statusof existing coconut collection in South EastAsia. Industrial Crops Research Journal 4 and2. P. 27-39.

Faure, M. and J. Moxon. 1998. National coconutbreeding programme in Papua New Guinea.In: Coconut Breeding. Papers presented at aworkshop on Standardization of CoconutBreeding Research Techniques, 20-25 June1994, Port Bouët, Côte d’Ivoire. Batugal., P.A.and V. Ramanatha Rao , (eds.). IPGRI-APO,Serdang, Malaysia.

Foale, M.A. 1964. Report on a visit to RennellIsland B.S.I.P. to study the coconutpopulation. Cyclostyled report. Joint CoconutResearch Scheme, Solomon Islands.

Franqueville, H. de, A. Sangare, J.P. le Saint, M.Pommier and J.L. Renard. 1991. Mise enévidence de caractères de tolérance au

COGENT 12

Coconut enjoys an exalted position inthe Hindu religion and culture. It isoffered to deities in temples and usedin many traditional and religiousrituals, and festivals. Thousands ofcoconuts are broken during festiveseasons, and no important functioncan commence without first breakingopen a dehusked coconut. Accordingto Lt. Kol (B) K. Sathaya, Presidentof the Hindu Darma Mamandramand a Council Member of the HinduSangam Association in Malaysia, oneneeds to understand the philosophybehind a certain ritual to fullyobserve its significance. The sameprinciple applies to the role ofcoconut in Hinduism.

Philosophically, the coconut ischosen because it represents the bodyand soul of a man. In the case of thecoconut, one has to pry open thesmooth surface of the nut, pull off therough husk, and break open the hardshell to get to the soft kernel. InHinduism, the same principle appliesto a man’s soul. The soul is believedto transcend three bodies, namely 1)‘toola’ - gross body or the physicalbody; 2) ‘shuksma’ - the subtle body;and 3) ‘ karana’ - the casual. Thebreaking of a coconut by a priestsymbolizes the opening of the soulto the knowledge and wisdom of God.

In Hinduism, the highest offering adevotee can give to God is himself orherself . This form of sacrifice issymbolically represented by thecoconut. When a coconut is brokenor sliced, it will reveal the whitenessof the kernel and the purity of thewater. These represent the purenessof the ‘atma’ (soul) being offered toGod. This ritual is called ‘atma

nivedalam’ (offering of soul). It canonly be performed at the foot of adeity or the feet of the Lord (paduga),by an ordained priest or holy man.

The breaking of coconut to propitiateLord Ganesha, the God of wisdom,is very popular. When a devoteebreaks a coconut for Lord Ganesha,it represents the devotee’s plea to bebestowed with the Lord’s wisdomand knowledge. The breaking of acoconut also symbolizes the templeof Lord Ayyappa, located inSabrimala, in the months ofNovember to January every year.They carry coconuts and smash themat the foot of the 18 steps leading intothe inner sanctum of the temple.Some coconuts are filled with ghee.The devotees break the coconuts intohalf and pour the ghee over the idolwhen they reach the temple. Theythen throw the empty cups into a firepit situated near the steps. Thepilgrims would also carry 5 - 7additional coconuts to be broken atseveral temples along the way toSabrimala. Every year, it is estimatedthat around 100 million coconuts areused for these purposes.

During the Chath festival celebratedin Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and otherstates in India, thousands of womenwould converge on the banks of theholy river Ganga, carrying coconutsas offering to the sun. Medam, theMalayalam month for April, heraldsthe beginning of the New Year.During this month, the Keralitescelebrate Vishu, a major ceremonywhereby auspicious objects,including coconuts, are arranged theprevious night, so that one wouldwake up in the morning to be greeted

by them. A festival called NarialPournami is observed along the seacoast at the end of the rainy seasonwhere devotees offer coconuts toVaruna, the sea God.

Aside from the whole nuts, othercoconut products are also used.Coconut water, for example, is usedto pour over deities, and to wash thebones of a cremated body. Traditionallamps in temples are lighted by usingcoconut oil, while the food offered toGods in the Kerala’s temples iscooked using coconut husks andspathes. They are also used in thepreparation of the sacrificial fire.Coconut toddy is offered to deities inrituals connected with sorcery.Coconut shells, husks and wood areused as part of the cremation fire,while a coconut seedling would beplanted at the place of cremation.

There are many legends andanecdotes centered on coconut inIndia, particularly in Kerala.Whatever the truth may be, coconutpalm is revered as a divine tree andthe products used extensively in theHindu culture and religious ritualsthroughout India. This givescredence to the saying in Kerala that‘birth or death, coconut isindispensable’. Or, as Lt. Kol (B) K.Sathaya commented, coconut couldjust easily be chosen by its virtue ofbeing able to last for a long time,available all year round, and havemany practical uses that benefit thecommunity.

1 President, Peekay Tree CropsDevelopment Foundation, India2 Communication Assistant, COGENTSecretariat, Malaysia

Feature Articles

Coconut in HinduismBy P.K. Thampan1 and Shalizahanim Shukor2

COGENT 13

The four Pacific Islands countries(Cook Islands, Kiribati, MarshallIslands and Tuvalu) consist ofnumerous small islands and atollsscattered over a very large sea area.Coconut (with sea products) is oneof the staple foods and main sourceof income for the population of theislands. The isolation of the islandsand, in many cases, their harshenvironment (saline, low-fertilityand water-deficient soils) result incoconut populations with veryspecific characteristics andadaptation to atoll conditions.

The ADB-funded project for the fourcountries aims to collect availablediversity of local coconut populationwhich will be used by the countriesto mitigate genetic erosion due topopulation pressure, palm ageingand natural hazards (cyclones andsea level rise) and to developimproved varieties. The collectionsmade during this study will conserve

precious germplasm which could beused to develop better varieties forthe atolls, enrich the collection of thePNG hosted-International CoconutGenebank for the South Pacific (ICG-SP), and facilitate the exchange ofimportant cultivars in the future withother countries. The morphometricdescription and the molecular markersanalysis of these populations will notonly generate information on geneticdiversity within these collections butalso improve the knowledge on theorigin and the dissemination path ofcoconut in the Pacific Islands.

The objectives of the project are totrain researchers in collecting andcoconut breeding research techniques;collect seednuts and embryos ofidentified populations; send theembryos to the Secretariat of thePacific Community (SPC), which willgrow and subsequently transfer invitro seedlings to the InternationalCoconut Genebank (ICG) for the

South Pacific in Papua New Guinea;gather passport data of identifiedpopulations and conserve germplasmin situ; plant the collected germplasmin the genebank of the four countries;and submit passport data to theCoconut Genetic Resources Database(CGRD).

The national project leaders are Mr.Tiara Mataora (Research Officer,Totokoitu Research Station, CookIslands), Mr. Tokintekai (AgroforestryOfficer, Ministry of ResourcesDevelopment, Kiribati), Mr. HenryCapelle (Agroforestry Officer, Ministryof Resources and Development,Marshall Island) and Mr. Sam Panapa(Plant Protection Officer, Ministry ofNatural Resources and Environment,Tuvalu). Mr. Jean-Pierre Labouisse ofCIRAD, currently Head of the CoconutDivision, Vanuatu AgriculturalResearch and Training Centre (VRTC),is the overall project coordinator.

Ongoing Projects

Four Pacific Island Countries to ConservePrecious Coconut Germplasm

ADB-funded Project: Coconut Germplasm Collecting, Characterization and Conservation in Cook Islands, Kiribati,Marshall Islands and Tuvalu

Enhancing the Incomes and Nutrition of CoconutFarmers in the Asia Pacific Region

IFAD-funded Project: Sustainable Use of Coconut Genetic Resources to Enhance Incomes and Nutrition of CoconutSmallholders in the Asia Pacific Region

Selected COGENT member countriesin the Asia Pacific region willconduct a study entitled, “Feasibilitystudies on the establishment ofintegrated coconut processingprojects to produce products fromcoconut husk and handicrafts fromcoconut shell and the identificationof suitable varieties for the identifiedviable products”. The countriesinvolved include Bangladesh,Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, The

Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.The target coconut products aregeotextile, coir fibre, coir pith andhandicrafts.

The objectives of the project are toassess the various aspects ofproducing and marketing processedcoconut products from coconut huskand shell; recommend viableproduction modules for use in theparticipating countries; identify the

coconut varieties suitable for theidentified products; and sourceand ship coconut fibre-makingequipment to the participatingcountries for testing.

The Bicol Agricultural and RuralDevelopment Center, Inc. (BARDCI)is undertaking the study in thePhilippines. BARDCI will assess thevarious aspects of producing and

(Continued On Page 14)

COGENT 14

Ongoing Projects

The study in Bangladesh will be

undertaken by the Horticulture

Research Centre of the Bangladesh

Agricultural Research to 1) identify

locations in Bangladesh where

people uses coconut intensively in

various forms; 2) document the

variety of coconut uses, the practices

involved in these uses, and the

products; 3) assess the quality of the

products, their demand in local,

regional, national and export

markets; economic (labour, capital)

and technological constraints to the

production of the different products;

the production and market potential

of various products; 4) ascertain the

approximate size of the population

involved in making different coconut

products, and the economic returns

they receive from these activities; and

5) assess the flow of economic

benefits from coconut products to the

economic condition of households.

Activities will start in April 2000 for

a duration of about three months.

The other participating countries will

conduct similar activities when their

participation is formalized.Coconut fibre net as an alternative product to enhance the incomes of farmers.

Coconut fibre products in Vietnam.

marketing products from coconuthusk and Makapuno palm; determineand compare the efficiency of sevenfibre processing tools and equipmentfabricated by an engineer inGuinobatan, Albay, and similar toolsreceived from Vietnam; recommendeconomically viable productionmodules that can be implementednationwide; and identify marketablehigh-value products that will

enhance the incomes of coconutfarmers in the Philippines.

Similarly, the Oil Plant Institute (OPI)in Vietnam was commissioned toconduct a feasibility study on theproduction and marketing of coconutfibre products from coconut husk,and coconut handicrafts fromcoconut shell; and to procure andship coconut fibre processingequipment, for pilot testing, to otherparticipating countries.

(Continued From Page 13)

COGENT 15

Fourteen laboratories in 11 countriesare conducting a 2-year research torefine the coconut embryo cultureand acclimatization technology. Thecountries involved are Brazil, China,Cuba, France, India, Indonesia,Mexico, Papua New Guinea,Philippines, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.Mexico, France and Tanzania arefunding their own studies. A surveyquestionnaire on the currentapplication of coconut embryo invitro was distributed to institutionsworldwide at the start of the project.The survey showed that the poorresults of the overall protocol weremainly due to low percentage ofembryos developing into wholeplantlets in vitro. The acclimatizationphase of the in vitro plantlets was,however, relatively efficient.

The main part of the project was thetesting of the four main in vitroculture protocols available fromPCA, UPLB, CPCRI and ORSTOM, tothose used by the participatinglaboratories. The aim was to comparethe efficiencies of the protocols usinglocally available varieties.

The results showed improvement inthe current technology was obtained.There was an increase in embryogermination and the number ofwhole plantlets obtained in vitro.There was also an increase in thesurvival rate of the seedlings afterthey were transferred from the testtube to the nursery. A pronouncedgenotypic effect was also detected inlaboratory experiments using thelocal varieties.

Additional researches were also per-formed on topics such as the effect ofvarious growth regulators on the ger-mination of embryos, physiologicalaspects, and medium-term in vitroconservation of the embryos. Results ofthese physiological studies in partici-pating laboratories in France, India,Mexico, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Tan-zania have provided a better initialunderstanding of the effects of culturemedia, light, carbon dioxide, tempera-ture, growth promoters and inhibitors,and nutrients on the survival rates ofin vitro embryo-derived seedlings.

All participating laboratories arenow able to culture coconut embryosin vitro and to successfully acclimatizethe plantlets. This will encouragegermplasm exchange among

IPGRI and COGENT Initiate Research toImprove In Vitro Techniques

DFID-funded Project: Improvement of In Vitro Techniques for Collecting and Exchange of Coconut Germplasm

Ongoing Projects

(Continued On Page 16)

Participants of the 2nd International Coconut Embryo Culture Workshop, 14-17 March2000 in Mexico.

Embryo-derived coconut seedlings in thenursery of CPCRI, India.

COGENT 16

Six countries in South America andAfrica are participating in the CFC-funded project entitled, “CoconutGermplasm Utilization and Conser-vation to Promote Sustainable Coco-nut Production”. The countries in-volved are Benin, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire,Jamaica, Mexico and Tanzania. The aimof the project is to assist the nationalprogrammes of the selected countriesin conducting multilocation trials toidentify hybrids or varieties with bet-ter yield and broader adaptation com-pared to local cultivars.

Côte d’Ivoire has successfullyproduced 5400 seednuts of sixselected hybrids and shipped them tothe designated trial sites of the otherparticipating countries. At least 150seednuts each of the four selectedlocal varieties have been producedand sown in the nursery of theresearch facilities for the sixparticipating countries.

In Mexico, assisted pollinations weremade for the production of seednutsfrom four Dwarf x Tall hybrids. Ninehundred seednuts were also receivedfrom the Marc Delorme Station inCôte d’Ivoire. Ninety palms of

Latin America/Caribbean andAfrican Countries to Promote

Sustainable Coconut ProductionCFC-funded Project: Coconut Germplasm Utilization and Conservation toPromote Sustainable Coconut Production in Selected South American andAfrican Countries

MAYPAN hybrids have been plantedin the nursery. They were wateredand fumigated to control theHelminthosporium halodes fungus, andare now on quarantine andgermination beds. Two trial siteshave been identified.

In Benin, seven imported hybridsfrom Côte d’Ivoire, and three localones have been sown andgerminated. They are expected to betransplanted to the field in May 2000.Six hybrids imported from Côted’Ivoire and four local varieties weresown and germinated in Brazil andJamaica, respectively. The field trialsites have been identified. InTanzania, production of seednutsfrom five local crosses (by handpollination) was conducted at theChambezi Research Station. TheIdete prison farm, situated in theMorogoro region of the Kilomberodistrict, has been selected as asuitable site for the hybrid trial. Soilsurvey of the area was conducted toassess the land suitability, whichincluded physical analysis (soiltexture and structure), moisture anddrainage. The soil samples will alsobe subjected to chemical analysis.

Ongoing Projects

laboratories, and give a positiveimpact on the overall collecting,conservation and exchange ofcoconut genetic resources, and on thecoconut improvement programmesof the participating countries.Furthermore, the embryo culturetechnology for producing the high-value Makapuno coconut hasimproved tremendously, withgermination rate as high as 98%. Thiscould maximize the potential ofsimilar special coconut types tobenefit poor farmers in thePhilippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

Workshops were organized tocompare and exchange the results ofstudies and make recommendationsto improve the collecting andexchange of coconut genetic resources.The 2nd International CoconutEmbryo Culture Workshop was heldon 14 - 17 March 2000 at the Centrode Investigacion Cientifica deYucatan (CICY), Mexico. Twentyseven participants attended theworkshop, which includedresearchers, project leaders from 17countries and resource persons fromIPGRI, COGENT and collaboratingpartner institutions.

The workshop was conducted to: 1)review recent research on coconutembryo culture and acclimatizationand upgrade protocols for increasedefficiency; 2) develop research anddevelopment project proposals forsubmission to appropriate donors;and 3) strengthen research collabora-t ion among the members of theCoconut Embryo Culture ProjectNetwork.

Several decisions were made duringthe workshop. After two years ofresearch on embryo culture, it wasconcluded that the recovery of in vitroplantlets can be raised to about 70%using an upgraded protocol. A taskforce was assigned to formulate itinto a Coconut Embryo CultureTechnoguide.

(Continued From Page 15)

Common Names for Coconut in the Philippines

Scientific Name Common Name

Cocos nucifera L. Niyog

Giragira

Lobi-lubi

Ngongot

Ongot

Punlaing

Source: Agroforestry Seeds Circular Supplement

COGENT 17

Partner Institutions

Centre de Coopération Internationaleen Recherche Agronomique pour leDéveloppement (CIRAD) is a Frenchagricultural research institution thatspecializes in agricultural researchand development in tropical and sub-tropical countries. CIRAD’s researchcentres are located in Montpellier,Guadeloupe, French Guiana,Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia,Réunion, and the French Polynesia.

CIRAD’s mandate is to contribute tothe rural development throughresearch, experimentation, trainingoperations in France and abroad, andscientific and technical information.Its operations include agronomic,veterinary, forestry and agrifoodresearch. CIRAD’s team workswithin national organizations, or astechnical support in developmentoperations, in over 90 countries inAfrica, Asia, the Pacific, LatinAmerica and Europe. It has a staff of1800 including 900 senior staff.

CIRAD has seven scientific depart-ments, namely: 1) agronomy, envi-ronmental and natural resourcesmanagement (Ager); 2) plant biologyand breeding (Micap); 3) crop protec-tion (Midec); 4) animal production(Mipa); 5) technology (Mitech); 6)social sciences (Mes); and 7) appliedmathematics and biometrics (Biom).There are 28 research programmes inseven departments, which includeannual crop; tree crops; fruit andhorticultural crops; animal produc-tion and veterinary medicine;forestry; territories, environment and

people; and advanced methods forinnovation in science.

The CIRAD-CP (tree crops) componentis divided into five programmes,namely, cocoa, coffee, coconut,rubber and oil palm. The objectivesof those programmes are to:• analyze the operating mechanisms

within the commodity chains andassist stakeholders in decision-making for production, productionorganization, primary processing ofraw materials and marketing;

• design environment-friendlyproduction strategies; alternativesto deforestation, intercropping,IPM, and rational fertilization; and

• analyze quality chains andimprove post-harvest operations,primary processing and end-products.

The Coconut Programme focuses itsresearch on improving cropproductivity and producer incomes,establishing an integrated control oflethal decay diseases, anddiversifying the outlets for coconut.The objectives are to: 1) increasecoconut productivity, particularly onsmallholdings; 2) restore thecompetitiveness of copra, the mainsource of vegetable oil in producingcountries and the principal source oflauric oil; 3) keep coconut in thetraditional growing zones for itsfood, economic and cultural value,and to develop alternative outlets forsmallholders; and 4) prevent the riskof coconut disappearing from regionsaffected by lethal decay diseases.

Centre de CoopérationInternationale en Recherche

Agronomique pour leDéveloppement (CIRAD)

Publications

Farmer ParticipatoryResearch on CoconutDiversity: WorkshopReport on Methods andField Protocols

The contents of this publicationinclude the presentations,discussions and field protocols

produced at the Workshop on Farmer ParticipatoryResearch on Coconut Diversity held in Davao,Philippines on 16 - 28 March 1998 and Taveuni, Fijion 24 - 28 March 1998. The results of the follow-upworkshops held in the Solomons and Bangladesh arealso included. This publication providesdocumentation of a work in progress. It is intendedfor use in the field by coconut scientists anddevelopment specialists in carrying out participatoryfield research with farmers. It is also hoped that thispublication will stimulate similar efforts to tap localknowledge of coconut diversity to solve the problemsof small-scale farmers.

For copies of the publication, please contact:Hanim ShukorCommunication AssistantInternational Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)P.O. Box 236UPM Post Office43400, SerdangMalaysiaTel: 603 - 894 23891Fax: 603 - 894 87655Email: s.hanim@cgiar.org

Farmer’s Assessment ofCoconut Varieties in Kerala

The small-scale coconut farmersmanage and use coconut geneticresources in a wide range ofenviron-ments for diversepurposes. Farmers areparticularly familiar with a rangeof locally adapted cultivars that

provide multiple products and innumerable benefitsto low income farm households. Documentation ofthese varieties in a farmer participatory researchprocess is imperative to identify valuable geneticresources. This publication is one of the results of thisfarmer participatory research, which was conductedin Kerala, India. This publication will be madeavailable to the coconut farmers of Kerala and to thecoconut research institutions in India. It is hoped thatthe institutions will use the knowledge found in thebook to improve coconut farm productivity andenhance the incomes of the Indian coconut farmers.

For more information about the publication, pleasecontact:P. K. ThampanPresidentPeekay Tree Crops Development FoundationMIG 141, Gandhi NagarCochin 682 020IndiaTel: 91 (484) 319271Fax: 91-484-311393Email: baburaj@md2.vsnl.net.in

Copies of the ‘Farmer’s Assessment of CoconutVarieties in Kerala’ (English and Malayalam) are alsoavailable at the COGENT Secretariat.

COGENT 18

COGENT Databases

The Coconut Literature Infobase(CLI) project identifies, sources,documents and disseminatespublications and information oncompleted and ongoing researcheson coconut in national, regional andglobal programmes.

At present, the printed materialsavailable are grouped into: 1) reprints;2) published books; 3) reports; and 4)COGENT publications. The reprintsare divided into five specific subjects:genetic resources and breeding; pestsand diseases; research, production andproduct diversification; coconut-basedfarming system and biotechnology.

CLI is available in the Endnoteprogramme, a software for electroniclibrary system (information on thissoftware is available atwww.niles.com). With Endnote, onecan browse and search for theavailable materials using keywords,authors and titles. The location of acopy of the material is also availablein the reference since some of thematerials may only be available inthe library of other organizations orinstitutions.

COGENT’s request for materials oncoconut is sent regularly to country

coordinators, project leaders, partnerorganizations and institutions. Amongthe items frequently requested areannual reports, articles about coconutin journals, list of articles written bycoconut researchers with completeliterature citations, and newsletters thatpublish articles on coconut.

Presently, there are 348 reprints, 40published books, 95 journals and sevenCOGENT publications available. Themember countries that have submittedmaterials include China, Indonesia,Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand,Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Fiji,Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Vanuatu,Solomon Islands, Samoa, Côte d’Ivoire,Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Cuba,Jamaica and Mexico. Contributionsfrom other countries are welcome.

A list of published and unpublishedarticles and other reference informationwill be provided to coconut researchersworldwide either through print orelectronic media regularly. This will bedone in collaboration with the infor-mation units of IPGRI, BUROTROPand APCC. The Infobase is set up inIPGRI – APO regional office in Serdang,Malaysia.

Farmers’Varieties andMultipurposeUses of the

CoconutDatabase

Farmers’ Varieties and MultipurposeUses of the Coconut Database is animportant documentation approachtowards public awareness andinformation sharing in theconservation of coconut geneticresources. The database documentsfarmers’ knowledge through farmerparticipatory research surveysconducted under the IFAD-fundedproject, ‘Sustainable Use of CoconutGenetic Resources to EnhanceIncomes and Nutrition of CoconutSmallholders in the Asia-PacificRegion’. Fourteen countries in theSoutheast and East Asia, South Asiaand the South Pacific regions areinvolved in this project.

At present, data submitted throughthe semi-annual and annual reportsby the countries are being documentedinto an Excel sheet according to theframes identified by a task force.Among the frames are: 1) the localnames of farmers’ varieties; 2) originof variety; 3) location of variety; 4)common uses of the palm parts; and5) farmers’ overall ranking of theimportance of the variety. Furtherinputs will be required directly fromthe project collaborators for anymissing data.

The IFAD-funded project databasewill be made available to coconutresearchers and other interestedparties through the COGENTwebsite.

Coconut LiteratureInfobase (CLI)

For inquiries or list of bibliography, please contact:

Hanim ShukorCommunication AssistantInternational Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)P.O. Box 236UPM Post Office43400, SerdangSelangor, MalaysiaTel: 603 - 8942 3891Fax: 603 - 8948 7655Email: s.hanim@cgiar.org

COGENT 19

ADB - and IFAD - fundedProject Annual Meetings

The annual meetings for the ADB- and IFAD-funded projects,specifically for the 10 participating South Pacific countries,will be held back-to-back on 26 - 30 June 2000 in Apia, Samoa,while the meetings for the 10 Asian countries will be heldback-to-back on 10 - 15 July 2000 in Manila, Philippines.

The third annual meeting of the ADB - funded projectentitled “Coconut Genetic Resources Strengthening inAsia and the Pacific (Phase 2)” will review the 1999/2000accomplishments and 2000/2001 proposed work plans ofthe 20 participating countries involved in coconutprojects. Progress reports on the human resourcedevelopment component will also be presented, togetherwith reports on the biotechnology and embryo culturecomponents. Three host countries will also report on theactivities of the International Coconut Genebank (ICG).

The third annual meeting for the IFAD-funded projectentitled, “Sustainable Use of Coconut Genetic Resources forEnhancing the Income and Nutrition of Smallholders in Asiaand the Pacific” will review the 3-year accomplishments ofthe 14 countries involved in the project which will end inAugust 2000. Reports will be presented on farmerparticipatory research to promote multipurpose uses of thecoconut, identify suitable varieties for these uses, and toapply these findings in strategies for coconut germplasmconservation. Reports will also be presented on projects forincreasing income from coconut-based farming.

The project leaders of both the ADB- and IFAD-fundedprojects, donors and representatives from IPGRI andpartner institutions will attend the two meetings.

International CoconutGenebank Workshop

The International Coconut Genebank Workshop will be heldon 17-18 July 2000 in Kasaragod, India. COGENT is estab-lishing a multi-site International Coconut Genebank (ICG) ineach of the five geographical regions. The host countriesinclude Indonesia for the Southeast and East Asia, India forSouth Asia, Papua New Guinea for the South Pacific and Côted’Ivoire for Africa and the Indian Ocean. Negotiations areunderway for Brazil to host the ICG for Latin America andthe Caribbean. The meeting will review the progress of workon the establishment of each ICG in the host countries, andrelated ongoing research projects and work plans, andbudgets for the next seven years. The workshop will be hostedby the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI)with funding from ADB, IFAD and IPGRI/COGENT.

9th SteeringCommittee Meeting

The COGENT Steering Committee (SC) determinesprogramme priorities and oversees the various COGENTactivities. The SC comprises of ten representatives fromCOGENT’s 35 member countries, i.e. two each from thefive subnetworks, namely; Southeast Asia, South Asia,South Pacific, Africa and the Indian Ocean, and LatinAmerica and the Caribbean. The COGENT Coordinatoracts as an ex-officio member. The APCC, represented bythe Executive Director, is a non-voting member.

The 9th SC Meeting will be held on 20 – 22 July 2000 inKasaragod, India. The SC members and representativesfrom partner institutions will attend the meeting.Specifically, the meeting will review progress of the fiveCOGENT regional networks, projects and activities inCOGENT, IPGRI and collaborating partner institutions.It will also discuss the COGENT Work and Action Planfor the Year 2000 and draft plan for Year 2001. The meetingwill be funded by IPGRI/COGENT.

International CoconutConference (ICC)

The International Coconut Conference (ICC) will be heldfrom 24 - 28 July 2000 in Chennai, India, within the ambitof the APCC XXXVII COCOTECH Meeting. The conferencewill be hosted by the Government of India through theCoconut Development Board.

The conference will review the performance of the varioussectors of the coconut industry to identify problems andopportunities to be addressed in the new millennium. Theconference’s recommendations will be used as a guidein developing project proposals to address priorityactivities. The conference will be jointly sponsored by theAPCC, BUROTROP and IPGRI/COGENT.

Coconut Embryo CultureTraining Course

A Hands-on Coconut Embryo Culture Training Course willbe held on 2 - 6 October 2000 in Albay, Philippines. The coursewill teach project leaders from COGENT member countriesthe upgraded and standardized embryo culture technologyto enable them to exchange germplasm in the form of embryo-derived in vitro seedlings. The training course will be hostedby the Albay Research Centre of the Philippine CoconutAuthority and funded by ADB, DFID and IPGRI/COGENT.

COGENT Bulletin Board

COGENT 20

COGENT Bulletin Board

An international workshop on coconutmite was held at the Coconut ResearchInstitute (CRI), Sri Lanka from 6 - 8January 2000. The objectives of theworkshop were to: 1) review thecurrent knowledge on mites; 2)formulate a research programme and;3) alert the other Asian and Pacificcountries on the possible threat of mitesin their countries.

Six participants from India, threeforeign experts and several localscientists attended the workshop.The programme consisted of five in-house sessions and a field tour to theinfested area. The Secretary of theMinistry of Plantation Industries inSri Lanka graced the inauguralsession. It was followed by thepresentation of country reports by SriLanka and India.

International Workshop on Coconut Mite(Aceria Gurreronis)

Paper presenters included Dr. DaveMoore, CABI Bio Science, UK; Prof.Thomas Perring, University ofCalifornia, USA; Prof. G. de Moraes,University of Sao Paulo, Brazil andDr. R.I. Cabrera, Cuba. Their papersreviewed the current knowledge onnon-chemical control methods anduse of the fungus H. thompsonii forthe control of mites, use of predatorymites in the control of eriophyid mites,and considerations in appliedecological research of eriophyid mites.The final session saw the discussion onidentifying research priorities andrecommendations, which included, thebiology and ecology of A. guerreronis,crop loss assessments chemical control,and use of pathogens and predators inthe control of the pest were identified.

The participants recommended that

the research priorities are addressedurgently and a collaborative researchprogramme especially between Indiaand Sri Lanka with assistance fromthe foreign experts should beundertaken. It was also decided thatinternational funding should besought for such a programme. Thefinal activity of the workshop was thefield tour to the infested area. Thisprovided the participants anopportunity to be enlightened on thenature of the outbreak in Sri Lanka.The workshop was funded by theCRI and the United NationsDevelopment Programme (UNDP).

Priyanthie Fernando, WorkshopCoordinator, Coconut ResearchInstitute, Sri Lanka.

This newsletter is published twice a year by theInternational Coconut Genetic Resources Network

(COGENT).

For more information or order requests, please contact:

International Coconut Genetic Resources Network (COGENT)International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)

Regional Office for Asia, the Pacific and OceaniaP.O Box 236, UPM Post Office

Serdang, 43400Malaysia

Tel: (603) 8942 3891 Fax: (603) 8948 7655Email: ipgri-apo@cgiar.org

The views and opinions expressed in the publication do notnecessarily reflect those of COGENT.

Articles may be reproduced with prior permission fromCOGENT.

Readers are welcome to write

about issues affecting the coconut.

Readers are also encouraged to

respond directly to the writers

or through the COGENT Newsletter.

Selected letters will be featured

in each issue.

Below is a message from Mr. Vo Van Long (Vietnam). You are invitedto send your response either to Mr. Vo or the COGENT Secretariat.

From: Oil Plant Institute of Vietnam[SMTP:opi.vn@hcm.vnn.vn]

To: Dr. Pons BatugalSubject: Coconuthispine beetle has caused damage for coconut

in Vietnam

Dear Dr. Pons,

A new problem for coconut in Viet Nam has appeared, that isCoconuthispine beetle (COLEOPTERA, CHRYSOMELIDAE,OXYCEPHALA/BRONTISPA). According to Plant ProtectionDepartment of Ben Tre Province, this pest has appeared first in April1999 with about 600 damaged coconuts but till now, 20,000 coconuttrees have been recorded to be damaged by Coconuthispine beetle.This kind of pest has also been observed in many other coconutgrowing provinces of the country and estimation of its damages hasstill not been done.

At present, we still have not had effective method to treat/controlthis pest. Please give us your valuable advice so that we canstop the damage of this Coconuthispine beetle. We look forward to hearing from you soon. With best regards.

V.V.LongCountry Coordinator, Vietnam