CARI Chandan - A promising coconut cultivar

The variety was developed through selection from exotic accession IND 116 introduced by ICAR-CPCRI from Papua New Guinea as Nikkore Orange Dwarf and conserved at World Coconut Germplasm Centre at Sipighat farm, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair. The palms of this variety take about 3-4 years for first flowering.It is recommended by Group Meeting of All India Coordinated Research Projects on Palms during 2013 for cultivation in coconut growing tracts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands ecosystems. Dwarf with slender stem, shorter leaves. No bole at the base of the stem. The fruits are cluster bearing, deep orange, small-size, oval shape, average fruit weight of over 545g with copra content of over 101.6g having oil content of about 66%. The palms take about 33 months for first flowering after planting. The tender nut water content is 198ml. Unlike, most other dwarf varieties, this variety performs well under rainfed conditions also. It recorded an average of 98 nuts per palm per year under rainfed conditions with copra yield of about 9.96 kg per palm per year. The potential yield was estimated to be over 156 nuts per palm per year with copra yield of over 15.85kg per palm per year. Owing to the compact canopy it could be planted at closer spacing of 6 x 6 m also. The variety has not recorded any major pests under field conditions but moderately susceptible to scales and inflorescence moth.

Benefit:The variety has attractive cluster bearing bunches and hence preferred for planting in house compounds and for ornamental planting also.

M.A. Suryanarayana, M. Sankaran, V. Damodaran, D.R. Singh, S. Dam Roy, T. Damodaran, R.P. Medhi, E.V.V. BhaskarRao, P.K. Khosy, B.C. Viraktamath, Joshi Joseph, S. ChanderRao, R. Dhanapal, B. Augustine Jerard, P.M. Kumaran, M.J. Rathnambal, R.V. Nair, P.M. Jacob, V. Arunachalam, S.K. Rizal, K.V.K. Nampoodhiri and George V. Thomas