Plantation Crops

Propagation

Seed propagation
Nursery raised seedling and Self sown seedlings are used for propagation
Mother palm selection in palmyra
Age of the palm : Middle aged – 30 to 40 years
Stature of canopy : Dwarf and stout palms are selected. Trees with compact leaves are preferred to long slender stemmed trees

Selection of seed nuts
Stage of maturity : From the fruits which are 80 to 90 per cent ripe. Heap the selected fruit bunches for 5 to 6 days for automatic stripping from bunches == Select plumy and healty seed nut.
Removal of mesocarp : Allow fruits to ferment for easy removal of mesocarp. While removing mesocarp, the fibre adhering to seed nut should be retained which help in absorption of water and leading to better germination.

Sex of nuts
Seeds of single nut give == female trees
Double nuts give == One female and one male
Trinuts === Two male and one female
To maintain male and female ratios it is better to collect 10 to 15 per cent of double nuts.

Seed propagation in palmyra palm.
Mature (fully) fruits – - shade storage ( three weeks) - - Sowing – three weeks --- germination ----- 150 to 160 days = for first leaf to come out of soil.
In palmyra palm first sheath of the cotyledon elongates and after it has gone into soil the radicle comes out and produces the root. It forms tuber and eventually the plumule bursts the plumule sheath ( i.e., coleoptile) and forms shoot.
Seed nuts collected from a identified mother palm ( of 30 to 40 years age) are stored in shade for 3 weeks. These seeds may be directly sown in si tu or sown in nursery to raise the seedlings. The seeds of palmyrah should be either planted in the permanent place or in deep container It is because emerging shoot will go deep into the soil as tuber, up to 1 m depth in the beginning and later it comes upwards and produces leaves when tubers start rooting
The plumule coming out initially utilizes the food material stored in the seeed nut. This germinated part goes down into the earth as a tuber and when the tuber matures rooting starts, == Which abosorbs the soil nutrients == After this leaves come out one after the other. .
In the earlier stages of germination only the underground portion of the stem increases in thickness (Palmyra seedlings have tuber above the root). If there is restriction the growth of the seedling will be affected.
For direct sowing 3 - 4 whole fruits are planted in pits half filled with sand or sand and soil mixture. Seeds start germinating in 3 weeks.
Spacing in nursery : at 10 cm apart and covered with 5 cm sand. Follow nursery techniques during the initial period. One year old seedlings are lifted from the nursery and containerized in the polythene bags. After roots are formed the seedlings can be successfully transplanted in the main field.

Cultural Aspects / After Cultivation
No organized cultivation is practiced . Seeds fallen in the existing plantations == Self sown seeds germinate and establish
The palm grown naturally and no particular cultivation is necessary. It requires no artificial irrigation or manuring. However, for better performance following cultivation practices are suggested.

Planting
Pit size : 30 x 30 x 60 cm at
Spacing : 3m x 3m (450 plants /ha)
If triangular system of planting is adopted it accommodates 500 trees per ha.
Note : Seeds can also be directly sown in the field 5 cm below soil surface with seed eye facing down ward to the soil.