Breeding of Fruit and Plantation Crops 2 + 1

INTRODUCTION

Coconut: Cocos nucifera L.
Family: Arecaceae



• Cocos is a monotypic genus and there are no wild forms and hence variability exists only within local types or populations. The genus name cocos and the popular name coconut are derived from Spanish word Coco meaning “monkey face” – a probable reference to the 3 scars on the shell resembling 2 eyes and a nose on monkey’s face.

Research and Development on coconut in India

• CPCRI (Central Plantation Crops Research Institute)
• Mandate crops of CPCRI are coconut, arecanut and cocoa. It also co-ordinates research on the mandate crops within the country through AICRP on palms (started in 1970).
• CPCRI has three Regional Stations
• At Kayangulam – Kerala= Research on plant protection in coconut,
• At Vittal – Karnataka for research on arecanut and cocoa and
• At Minicoy – in Lakshadweep islands for research on coconut.

Seed farms

• CPCRI maintains the International Gene Bank of coconut for South Asia at the Seed Farm, Kidu.
• Central Agricultural Research Institute is maintaining its World Coconut Germplasm Centre at Sipighat in Andamans which was earlier established by CPCRI.

Coconut Development Board
• Started in 1981 under Ministry of Agriculture, GOI, with head quarters at Kochi (Kerala) and regional offices at Bangalore, Chennai and Patna