Carbon sequestration potential of coconut based cropping systems under integrated nutrient management practices

Carbon sequestration plays a major role in mitigating climate change by converting atmospheric carbon into long lived wood biomass and soil carbon pool. The present investigation emphasizes sequestration of above ground and soil carbon stock of coconut based cropping systems under integrated nutrient management (INM) practices. The experiment was conducted with three cropping sequences of vegetable crops as intercrops in coconut garden under four different integrated nutrient management practices in FRBD with five replications during 2012 to 2014 at Horticulture Research and Extension Station, Arasikere, Hassan District, Karnataka (India). The incremental increase in the carbon sequestration by palms after two years was to the tune of 3.01 t ha-1 under intercropping system compared to 2.31 t ha-1 recorded under the monocropping system. Baby corn-gherkin sequence recorded significantly the highest soil carbon stock i.e., 19.17 Mg C ha-1 and 20.43 Mg C ha-1 at 0-30 cm depth during 2012-13 and 2013-14, respectively. Among the INM practices, soil carbon stock was significantly the highest in treatment with 5 tonne FYM + 50 per cent N as vermicompost + 50 per cent N as CCP + vermiwash spray + Azotobacter (21.16 Mg C ha-1 and 20.95 Mg C ha-1 at 0-30 cm, during 2012-13 and 2013-14, respectively) and the lowest was in inorganic fertilizer alone (17.94 Mg C ha-1 and 17.96 Mg C ha-1 at 0-30 cm, during 2012-13 and 2013-14, respectively). A significant difference was observed in the soil carbon pool potential due to interaction of the cropping sequence and INM practices and it was the highest under green manure–cucumber sequence coupled with application of 5 t FYM + 50 per cent N as Vermicompost + 50 per cent N as composted coir pith (CCP) + Vermiwash spray + Azotobacter at 0-30 cm depth (21.49 mg C ha-1 and 19.81 mg C ha-1 during 2012-13 and 2013-14, respectively)

Evaluation of coconut based high density multi-species cropping system under organic and integrated nutrient management

A field experiment on evaluation of coconut based high density multi-species cropping system under organic and integrated nutrient management was initiated during 2007 in coconut based cropping system at Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod. Three treatments viz., T1: 2/3rd of recommended NPK fertilizer + recycling biomass (vermicompost), T2: 1/3rd of recommended NPK fertilizer + recycling biomass (vermicompost) + bio-fertiliser + green manuring + vermiwash and T3: Fully organic with recycling biomass (vermicompost) + bio-fertiliser + green manuring + vermiwash + husk burial + mulching coconut basin were replicated seven times in RBD. The crops involved in the system were coconut, black pepper, pineapple, banana, clove, annual crops like, turmeric, ginger and vegetable crops (brinjal, pumpkin, and elephant foot yam), sweet corn and baby corn were grown in the space available during different seasons. Irrigation was provided through sprinkler system at IW/CPE=1.0. Average of five years (2007 to 2012) data on coconut yield indicated non significant difference among the treatments and it ranged between 145 to 155 nuts palm-1year-1. Black pepper yield also did not differ significantly among the treatments and ranged from 1.7 to 1.8 kg vine-1, and banana (Njalipoovan variety) yield ranged from 6.0 to 7.2 kg bunch-1 and Grand naine variety yield also did not differ significantly among the treatments and it ranged from 13.7 kg to 15.5 kg bunch-1. The copra and oil content of coconut did not differ significantly among the treatments and it ranged from 159.5 to 164.6 g nut-1 and from 65.7 to 65.8 per cent, respectively. Economics of the system indicated higher net return in T3 treatment

Prospects of coconut cultivation in Tamil Nadu – A SWOT Analysis

Coconut is an important horticultural crop of the state of Tamil Nadu spreading across an area of 4.44 lakh hectares. Coconut is a victim of the catastrophes of climate change events like high temperature, excessive or deficit rainfall and increased atmospheric CO2 concentration. Coconut plantations in the state are hit by several pests and diseases, some of which are lethal, fatal and are debilitating in nature. An analysis of Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) for the prospects of coconut cultivation in the state revealed that edaphic and climatic factors, less labour requirement compared to other field crops of the state and access to technologies remain the great strength, while tropical cyclones hitting coastal districts of the state, failure of monsoon, wide fluctuations in copra price, lack of producer-centric market intelligence are the striking weakness for coconut cultivation. Improved varieties and hybrids with desired traits, establishment of processing industries, international cargo terminals to tap export market and crop insurance scheme in the event of climatic aberrations, remain the major opportunities while declining soil fertility, debilitating pests and dreadful diseases and poor scientific management owing to the fragmented land holdings are the major threats of coconut cultivation in the state of Tamil Nadu

Impact of intercropping on root distribution in coconut under coastal sandy soil

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Influence of organic sources of nutrients on vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) as an intercrop in coconut garden

Performance of vanilla, as influenced by organic source of nutrition when grown as intercrop in coconut garden, was studied in sandy loam soil at ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod, Kerala for seven years. Field experiments were carried out with different sources of organic manures, recommended NPK fertilizer and no fertilizer treatments. Application of cow dung slurry (6 tonnes ha-1) resulted in vigorous growth of vine (vine length of 5.5 m) and higher number of beans per vine (208) and a significantly higher mean fresh yield of bean (1.87 kg vine-1). Application of vermicompost (5 kg plant-1) + biofertilizers (Bacillus and Azospirillum) and vermiwash were on par and recorded mean fresh yield of 1.47 kg vine-1 and 1.30 kg vine-1, respectively. Control treatment without fertilizer application recorded significantly lower fresh bean yield (0.55 kg vine-1) due to lower number of beans per vine (72 nos.).  In the rhizosphere of vanilla, no significant difference for either bacterial or actinomycetes population was noticed among the treatments. The fungal population differed significantly among the treatments and the highest population level was found with application of biogas slurry (62.1x103cfu g-1 soil), which was on par with application of cow dung slurry (59x103 cfu g-1 soil). Among the function specific microbial communities, the highest population of  P-solubilisers (98x103 cfu g-1 soil) was recorded in the biogas slurry treatment, and it was the lowest in control and vermiwash application treatments. The average coconut yield realized during experimental period(2004-05 to 2009-10) was 136 nuts per palm, recording 53 per cent increase in yield compared to pre-experimental yield (89 nuts per palm).Â

Performance of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) hybrids for yield and quality in the Utkal plain region of Odisha state, India

Cocos nucifera L. is a perennial oil yielding crop with a long productive life span (>60 years); thus, identifying a suitable high yielding hybrid to a particular agro-climatic region plays a prime role in achieving sustainable coconut yield. In this context, an evaluation trial with varietal cross combinations involving Tall × Dwarf (six crosses) and Dwarf × Tall (two crosses) was conducted at All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Palms, Bhubaneshwar Centre, Odisha, for 15 years. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with four replications maintaining six palms per replication. Observations on yield and yield attributing characters during 2018 to 2020 revealed the superior performance of ECT × GBGD (99.1 nuts), which was followed by ECT × MYD (86.9 nuts) over the local check (ECT) by recording higher nut yield. Copra output per palm was significantly the highest under ECT × GBGD (20.6 kg palm-1), followed by LCT × COD (18.6 kg palm-1). Hybrids possessed a higher quantity of organoleptically ‘good’ tender nut water (270.3 to 354.1 mL) with TSS of 5.8 to 6.9 °Brix, 25.4 to 34.0 ppm of sodium and 2065.9 to 2885.0 ppm of potassium

Early evaluation of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) clones as intercrop in coconut gardens under red river region of Assam State, India

A field experiment was conducted at Horticultural Research Station (AICRP on Palms), Kahikuchi of Assam Agricultural University for three consecutive years (2018-20) to study the initial performance of cocoa clones as intercrop in adult coconut (Cocos nucifera L) garden spaced at 7.5 m × 7.5 m taking sixteen cocoa clones. Data on tree height, stem girth, number of pods, pod weight, number of beans pod-1, dry bean weight tree-1 year-1 and single dry bean weight revealed significant variations among the 16 cocoa clones. Dried beans are the prime economic produce of cocoa, and single dry bean weight ranged from 0.95 to 1.4 g. With respect to dry bean yield tree-1, VTLC-20 recorded a significantly higher dry bean yield of 2.2 kg tree-1 followed by VTLC-18 (1.5 kg tree-1) compared to other cocoa clones, and eight clones yielded more than 1.0 kg dry bean tree-1. Results showed that the number of leaves on the crown, number of inflorescences per palm and nut yield of coconut was not negatively affected; rather, there was an increase in the yield of coconut over a period

Influence of planting material, plant population and organic manures on galangal (Kaempferia galanga L.) grown as intercrop in coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) garden

Field experiments conducted at Kasaragod, India to study the influence of planting material, plant population and organic manures on galangal (Kaempferia golanga) grown as intcrcrop in coconut (Cocos nucifcra) garden revealed that when mother rhizome was used as planting material significantly higher rhizome yield was achieved compared to finger rhizome. Plant population did not influence yleld. Farnl yard manure and major nutrient combinations recorded significantly higher yield compared to farm yard manure, vermicompost, composted coir pith and major nutrients applied alone. &nbsp

Heterosis for economic traits in coconut (Cocos nucifera L.)

Field studies conducted for a period of 12 years to assess the traits responsible for yield performance and heterosis of twelve coconut hybrids in comparison with three varieties showed that among the hybrids, GBGD x ECT recorded the highest mean yield of 127.6 nuts palm-1 year-1 and was on par with ECT x GBGD (106.9 nuts palm-1 year-1), COD x LCT (108.0 nuts palm-1 year-1) and WCT x MYD (107.6 nuts palm-1 year-1). Hybrid GBGD x PHOT recorded the highest fruit length (23.9 cm) followed by ECT x GBGD (23.3 cm). The hybrid ECT x GBGD recorded the highest values for most of the fruit characteristics viz., fruit breadth (17.3 cm), fruit weight (1180.0 g), husked fruit weight (758.0 g) and copra weight (231.1 g). The variety ‘Laccadive Ordinary’ recorded higher oil content (71.1%) compared to its hybrids, LCT x GBGD (70.8%), COD x LCT (70.0%) and LCT x COD (69.8%). Hybrids displayed substantial differences in their heterotic response for nut characters. The highest yielding hybrid, GBGD x ECT excelled its standard check by 40.8 per cent followed by LCT x COD (39.4%)

Effect of integrated nutrient management practices on growth and yield of vegetable crops grown as intercrops in coconut (Cocos nucifera) garden

Investigation was carried out at Horticulture Research and Extension Station, Arasikere, Karnataka, during kharif and summer seasons of 2012-14 to study the performance of different cropping sequences with vegetable crops and effect of integrated nutrient management practices on growth, and yield of vegetable crops under coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) based cropping system (CBCS). The experiment consisting of three cropping sequences of vegetable crops and four integrated nutrient management (INM) practices was carried out in FRBD with 5 replications. The study revealed that growth and yield of all the vegetable crops grown under coconut were significantly influenced by INM practices. Among the INM practices, pooled analysis of yield data indicated that, S3 treatment (5 tonnes FYM+ 50% NPK + 25% N by vermicompost + 25 % N by composted coir pith (CCP)+ IIHR micronutrient spray) recorded significantly higher yield in okra (9.85 tonnes/ha), baby corn (4.55 tonnes/ha), gherkin (74.87 tonnes/ha) and cucumber (6.51 tonnes/ha) when grown as intercrop in coconut plantation