Auck Chang Tall - A promising coconut cultivar

It is a cultivar of Car Nicobar Island. Generally, the palms are morphologically similar to Andaman Ordinary Tall but with differences in nut characteristics. An accession collected and evaluated at World Coconut Germplasm Centre, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair has shown that the palms of this cultivar are robust, high yielding with higher copra content. The palms of this variety take about 5-7 years for first flowering. The kernel is thick and recorded higher milk recovery under VCO production process. The fruits are green or light brown, husk thickness is thin (2 to 3 cm), dehusked fruits are oval, good tender nut water quantity (560 ml per fruit), average fruit weight over 1700g with average copra content of about 170g. However, there are palms with copra content of more than 260g recorded in the population. Under the natural habitat of rainfed conditions in Car Nicobar, the palms exhibited large bole, stout stem, good fruit setting with estimated fruit yield of over 140 nuts per palm per year, regular production of bunches and dense crown. Careful mother palm selection followed by seedling selection is important to establish good plantation of Auck Chang Tall considering the variability observed in the natural and conserved population.

Benefit:Although the tender coconuts are also used for drinking purpose, it is mostly preferred for copra making, processed coconut kernel products and VCO production.. The kernel oil content is about 65%.

Interested persons may contact: Dr. B Augustine Jerard, Principal Scientist, Email : agustinejerard.b@icar.gov.in, Phone : 9447064463 (source: Division of Horticultural & Forestry, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair)