Katchal Tall - A promising coconut cultivar

It is a popular coconut cultivar of Car Nicobar Island. 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, husk thickness is thin (2.5 cm), dehusked fruits are oblong, good tender nut water quantity (706 ml per fruit), average fruit weight over 1814.25g with average copra content of about 217.75g. The oil content is about 64%. 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. There are no major pests recorded in this population. Careful mother palm selection followed by seedling selection is important to establish good plantation of Katcal Tall considering the variability observed in the natural and conserved population.

Benefit:The cultivar has good tender nut water quantity (706 ml per fruit) hence used for tender coconut purpose, copra making, processed coconut kernel products and VCO production.

Source : 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)