Agriculture and Environmental Technology

Department of Biosystems Technology Faculty of

Technology
University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Lecture in charge: Prof. Nilushi Nugara

BTA 2072 Plantation Crop Management

Practical No: 01 Practical: Coconut nursery management & Coconut pollination
Objectives
1. To identify the parent palms selection concepts.
2. To obtain a basic knowledge of coconut nursery practices.
3. To familiarize with different coconut pollination techniques

Introduction
Coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). Generally, it can be all three: a fruit, a
nut, and a seed. Coconuts have been grown in tropical regions for more than 4,500 years. As the
coconut tree is propagated by seed, they are subjected to some variations which can be
distinguished in the trees, fruits, and leaves. According to the size and stature of the palm, it can
be classified as Talls and Dwarfs. Tall coconut palms are usually cross-pollinated and are subjected
to the most variations. Tall palms have longer economic lives than Dwarf trees, typically about 60-
80 years, and can live up to 100 years old under favorable conditions. After six to eight years of
planting, Tall coconut palms will begin to bear fruits. Dwarf coconut palms are smaller in stature
than Tall varieties. They are mostly self-pollinated and have fewer variations compared to Tall
varieties. Hybrids coconut palms are inter-varietal crosses between two morphological forms of
coconut trees. They are usually selected for commercial planting.

PART I
1. Selection of mother palms and seed nuts
Selection of parent palms and nuts for seeds is a most important practice in establishing high-
yielding and uniformly bearing coconut plantations. There are two methods in identifying palms
as seed parents.

1. Mother palm selection

A. Identify high yielding estates and blocks
B. Select individual palms based on agronomic features
2. Plus palm selection
A. Select the high yielding estates and blocks
B. Select the plus palm within blocks
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 C. Select the seed nuts from plus palms

● Harvest the nuts from plus palms separately

● Select only well mature nuts
● Lay the selected nut in nurseries immediately
● Immature, spoiled, empty, extra-large, and small nuts should be rejected

2. Nursery Practices
2.1 Production of bear-rooted seedlings
Pre-nursery (Figure 1) is prepared for the production of bear-rooted seedlings. The nursery
site should be a flat or gradient site with sandy or sandy loam well-drained soil. The layout
of the nursery
● The seedbed should be more than ½ feet above ground level
● Distance between two rows should be 1.5 feet
● Each bed should accommodate five rows of seed nuts
● Convenient length
● Seeds should be placed in one direction within the same trench and the adjoining trench
seeds should be in the opposite direction
● The nut should be placed horizontally
● Space between two adjacent nuts in a trench should be 6”
● Nuts should be covered with a thin layer of soil, as the surface of the nut is just visible
● Seedbed can be separated by shallow drains to remove excess water Nursery management

● Dried coconut fronds can be used to conserve soil moisture and suppress weed growth
● Pests and diseases control (Termite, collar rot, Leaf die-back)
● Use crop rotation to improve the fertility levels of nursery beds
● Remove non germinated seed nuts at the end of five months from beds

Seedling selection
Seedlings are ready for transplanting from the seven months from laying. Seedling selection is
very important to get a vigorous and early bearing palm. The second selection is done after seven
months from laying. The rejection percentages of the well-managed nursery are following.

● Non germination (Remove after 5 months) 8%

● Late germination 10%
● Weak seedlings 12%
● Total 30%

A well-managed and vigorous seedling has the following characters.

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 a) Broad and dark green leaves
b) Stout stem
c) Sharp ridges of leaves
d) Short petioles
e) Convex leaf surface
f) Free from pests and diseases

Figure 1- Sowing of seed nuts in a germination bed

Exercise 01
● List down the agronomic features you are going to consider when selecting the individual
plus palms

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 2.2 Raising seedlings in poly bags
When the sprout of seed nuts in the pre-nursery grows up to 5-10 cm, seedlings are transferred to
poly bags. UV radiation resistant black polythene sleeves are used; 20/100 mm thickness, 500
gauge, 40 x 25 cm in size with gussets measuring 6” cm at bottom edges. Materials
● Black polythene sleeves
● Topsoil
● Cow dung
● Coir dust
● Germinating coconut nuts

Procedure
1. Fill 1/2 of the polybag using the following soil mixture.
● Topsoil 1
● Cow dung 2
● Coir dust 3
2. Place the sprouted nut upright in the polybag (Sprout height should be more than 5 cm)
(Figure 2)
3. Add the rest of the soil mixture as the upper surface of the nut is barely visible.
4. Leave about 1.5” from the top edge of the bag.
5. Apply water about 2.5liters/polybag a day in the morning or late afternoon.
6. If seedlings retain in the nursery for a long time, triangular spacing should be 75 cm x 75
cm x 75 cm (Figure 3).
Seedlings are suitable for field planting after 8 months from poly bagging.

Figure 2- Correctly polybagged seedling

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 Figure 3- Arrangement of seedlings in polybag nursery

Exercise 02
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of poly-bagged seedlings.

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PART -II

Coconut Pollination Techniques

The coconut plant is monoecious with inflorescences bearing both male and female flowers. The
two main types of the coconut palm are tall and dwarf. Tall palms are normally crosspollinating
and heterozygous, while dwarf palms are normally self-pollinating and homozygous. Coconuts
can be propagated only with seeds and there are no known methods of vegetative multiplication.
The duration of the male phase is about 20 days. The female phase ranges from 3-5 days in tall
and averages 8 days in the dwarfs. Each female flower (button) stays receptive for 1-3 days.
Pollination is assured naturally by insects and wind. If the quality of seed nuts is to be improved,
controlled pollination is necessary so that both parents are from known types. Parental materials
are chosen on the basis of their phenotypic characters and genetic potential as well as vegetative
and reproductive growth performance. Dwarfs are mostly utilized as female parents. Tall
populations are usually used as a pollen source.
Artificial pollination for hybrid production starts with emasculation, the removal of male flowers
from the inflorescence of the female parent to avoid self-pollination. To avoid contamination, this
is done on the day of inflorescence opening. Bagging of emasculated bunches is required for the
entire period of the female phase and pollination. Major achievement in crop improvement has
been the development of high-yielding varieties, including hybrids. Heterosis among seedlings of
crosses between talls and dwarfs has been the basis for developing hybrids in coconut. Since then,
many hybrids have been developed and released for commercial cultivation. Production of hybrid
seedlings in coconut involves several steps, including laborious pollination that has to be carried
out on the crown. Planning, monitoring and recording data in a pollination programme assume
importance when hybrids in large numbers are to be produced. Materials
● Isolation bag ● Paper bags
● The male flowers collection bag ● Cotton
● Pollen manipulation box (PMB)
● Freeze-Dryer
● Air gas sealing torch
● Air vacuum pump
● Sticking tape
● Oven
● Brass sieves
● Glass ampoule
● Small canvas bags
● Pruning shears or secateurs

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Procedure
Pollen collection
1. Isolate the inflorescence for pollen collection- Bag the flower at least 6 days before the
spikelets are collected. First, remove the spathe of the inflorescence. Slip the pollen-
collecting bag (Figure 1) over the inflorescence, taking care not to damage the spikelets
and male flowers and ensuring that the open end of the bag reaches the peduncle.
2. Recode the date of bagging.
3. Cut the spikelet one by one inside the bag, about 5 cm above the female flowers. The
best period for the collection of pollen is from the third to the eighth day after the
opening of the inflorescence.
4. Label the bag with spikelets with the palm number and date of collecting and bring it
to the laboratory.
5. It is necessary to subject the male flowers to series of treatments as follows.
● Preparations - Insert a paper bag into a small canvas bag and place them inside
the pollen manipulation box (PMB) (Figure 2)

● Stripping male flowers from the spikelets- First, the arms and hands should be
decontaminated with 95% ethyl alcohol. Open the mouth of the bag and fit it in
one of the armholes of a pre-sterilized PMB. From inside the bag, draw the
spikelets with one hand and transfer them all into the PMB

● When all male flowers have been detached, put them in paper bags

● Crack the male flowers by rolling a bottle or a rolling pin on top of the canvas
bag to open the petals

● Dry the male flowers using a hot-air dryer (40°C) until reaching the moisture
content of 5%. It may take 24 to 36 hours

● Sieve (Gauze No. 200) the dried flowers inside the PMB to separate the pollen
grains

● Then collect the pollen into a glass ampoule and plug with a sterile cotton wad

● Freeze-drying for 15-20 minutes at 10-1 torr - If freeze-drying is not available

pollen can be put in a desiccator

● Seal the ampoules with an air-gas sealing torch

● To retain the pollen viability up to 6 months or longer, it must keep in the freezer

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Figure 1-Male flower collecting bag

Exercise
I. What is pollen manipulation box? What is the purpose of using such technology?
II. What are the problems associated with the pollination process? Suggest your own
innovative ideas to overcome above problems
Report Submission
You should be submitted your report to the given google drive link on or before 14th June 2025.

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