COGENT 1
N e w s l e t t e r
COGENT
ISSUE 3 MAY 2000 ISSN 1563-4396
Contents
From the Secretariat
New IPGRI-APO Regional Director 2
COGENT Steering Committee
COGENT Priorities and Immediate Concerns 3
COGENT Steering Committee Workplan for 2000 3
COGENT Steering Committee Members 1999-2000 4
National Programme Reports
Evaluation of Performance for Suitable Varieties
in Vietnam 4
National Programme on Coconut in India 5
Coconut Research in Vanuatu 7
Coconut Research and Development in Ghana 9
Feature Articles
Rennell Island Tall 10
Coconut in Hinduism 12
Ongoing Projects
Four Pacific Island Countries to Conserve Precious
Coconut Germplasm 13
Enhancing the Incomes and Nutrition of Coconut
Farmers in the Asia Pacific Region 13
IPGRI and COGENT Initiate Research to
Improve In Vitro Techniques 15
Latin America/Caribbean and African Countries
to Promote Sustainable Coconut Production 16
Partner Institutions
Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche
Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) 17
Publications 17
COGENT Databases
Coconut Literature Infobase (CLI) 18
Farmers’ Varieties and Multipurpose Uses of the
Coconut Database 18
COGENT Bulletin Board
ADB - and IFAD - funded Project Annual Meetings19
International Coconut Genebank Workshop 19
9th Steering Committee Meeting 19
International Coconut Conference (ICC) 19
Coconut Embryo Culture Training Course 19
International Workshop on Coconut Mite
(Aceria Gurreronis) 20
The coconut, Cocos nucifera L., is a small-
holder crop, grown on 11.6 million
hectares in 86 countries. It is the ‘tree of
life’ as it can produce products for food,
shelter and energy to farm households,
and various commercial and industrial
products. Fully developed and strategi-
cally used, it could increase food produc-
tion, improve nutrition, generate income,
create employment, enhance equity and
protect the environment. The coconut,
however, faces several problems that
affect its production and competitiveness
such as low yield, unstable market for its
traditional products, pests and diseases,
natural calamities, ageing of palms, and
genetic erosion.
High-yielding and locally adapted
coconut varieties need to be developed
to address some of the above-mentioned
problems and ensure sustainable coconut
production. To achieve this objective,
efficient use of diverse coconut genetic
resources is imperative. In many cases,
the range of germplasm in each country
is not sufficiently wide to meet breeding
requirements. Diverse germplasm may
be found in other countries which can
only be known if information is available.
Thus, there is a need to document and
share germplasm data in order to allow
coconut breeders to select and access
germplasm in other locations for use in
their breeding work.
In recognition of this need, the Interna-
tional Plant Genetic Resources Institute
(IPGRI) and the International Coconut
Genetic Resources Network (COGENT)
initiated a collaborative project with the
Centre de Coopération Internationale
en Recherche Agronomique pour le
Développement (CIRAD) in 1992 to
develop an International Coconut
Genetic Resources Database (CGRD).
Network member countries are collabo-
rating through COGENT to gather
and submit data to the database. CIRAD
is the implementing agency for this
project which is funded by the French
government.
The purpose of the CGRD is to document
and disseminate passport and
characterization data on conserved
germplasm, facilitate international
information exchange and promote
access to populations which breeders
require to achieve their breeding
objectives. Efforts are being made to
include molecular analysis data of the
germplasm in the CGRD. To operate the
database, CIRAD has developed a
software that would enable each member
of the network to incorporate their own
data, have access to the data of the other
members and share information. The
database is updated regularly and shared
with coconut breeders worldwide.
To date, passport and characterization
data of 1316 accessions in 24 sites in 20
COGENT member countries have been
incorporated into the database (Table 1).
Coconut breeders can now use the data
in the CGRD to select and request
germplasm for their breeding work.
Coconut Database Management (CDM)
The success of the CGRD depends on the
effective gathering and submission of
adequate data by COGENT network
member countries. To help these
countries gather and document data
more effectively, the Coconut Database
Management (CDM) software is being
COGENT Establishes An International Coconut
Genetic Resources Database (CGRD)
By Luc Baudouin1 , Roland Bourdeix2 , Francois Bonnot3 , Ch. Hamelin4  and Andre Rouzière5
(Continued On Page 2)
COGENT 2
Dr. Percy E. Sajise  has been
appointed as the new Regional
Director of IPGRI Office for Asia, the
Pacific and Oceania (APO) with
effect from 10 January 2000. He was
formerly the Director of the
Southeast Asia Ministers of
Education Organization-Regional
Center for Graduate Study and
Research in Agriculture (SEAMEO
SEARCA) based in the Philippines.
Dr. Sajise is a citizen of the Philippines. He obtained his MSc
and PhD in Plant Ecology from Cornell University, U.S.A.
He also holds a BSc in Agricultural Botany from the
University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB). Prior to
his SEARCA stint, he held notable positions as Division Head
and Development Action Coordinator of the Institute of
Environmental Science and Management (IESAM) at UPLB
(1989 - 1994); and Director of the Program on Environmental
Science and Management at UPLB (1978 - 1986).
In addition to the above, Dr. Sajise is currently the Chairman
of the Philippine National Work Group on Biodiversity
Research and has been a member of a variety of different
local and global committees. He served as Executive
Secretary of the Asian Association of Agricultural Colleges
and Universities (AAACU) and as Coordinator and Chair
of the Southeast Asian Universities Agroecosystem Network
(SUAN). He also served as Co-Principal Investigator of a
project on Conditions of Biodiversity Maintenance in Asia
from 1994 to 1999. Dr. Sajise was also a Professor at the
University of the Philippines, and a member of the CIFOR
Board of Trustees.
We welcome Dr. Sajise to IPGRI-APO.
From the Secretariat
New IPGRI-APO Regional Director
(Continued From Page 1)
developed by CIRAD to enable breeders
to record data on a per palm basis.
Through this system, it would be possible
to aggregate and analyze data on several
variables/characters required to fill in
the CGRD. An interesting feature of the
CDM is the module for cartographic
representation of the palms in each field,
making it possible to display and modify
palm characteristics on a map.
Several activities for the CGRD project
are proposed by CIRAD, which include
training of researchers on the use of the
CDM software, on the management and
transfer of data to the CGRD and
provision of technical support to national
programmes.
The CGRD has made a significant
contribution to the documentation and
dissemination of coconut genetic
resources data worldwide. The CGRD will
thus provide tremendous help to breeders
in their selection of germplasm for their
use in developing improved coconut
varieties for resource-poor farmers.
1 Amelioration Cocotier, CIRAD; 2 Researcher
in Plant Breeding, CIRAD; 3 Biometrician,
CIRAD; 4 Coconut Researcher, CIRAD; 5
Head of Coconut Programme, CIRAD
Table 1: Sources of data in the CGRD
Country Site Number ofAccessions
Bangladesh BARI 4
India CPCRI/Kasaragod 212
Pakistan Pakistan Agricultural Research Council 32
Sri Lanka Coconut Research Institute/Lunuwila 78
Total for South Asian Region 326
Thailand Chumphon Hort. Research Centre 52
Indonesia Bone Bone Expt. Garden/S. Sulawesi 41
Mapanget Expt. Garden/N. Sulawesi 65
Pakuwon Expt. Garden/W. Java 25
Sikijang Exp. Garden/Riau 25
Philippines Philippines Coconut Authority/Zamboanga 224
Malaysia MARDI/Hilir Perak 44
Department of Agriculture/Sabah 48
Vietnam Dong Go Experimental Centre 31
Total for Southeast Asian Region 555
Fiji Coconut Centre/Taveuni 11
Papua New Guinea CCRI/Keravat 3
Jim Grose Research Station/Madang 54
Vanuatu Coconut Research Station/Saraoutou 66
Samoa Min. of Agriculture, Forestry, Fish. & Meteorology 9
Solomon Islands Yandina 21
Total for South Pacific Region 164
Benin Coconut Research Center/Semi Podji 4
Côte d’Ivoire Station Cocotier Marc Delorme/Port Bouet 99
Tanzania NCDP/Dar Es Salaam 72
Total for African Region 175
Brazil EMBRAPA/Aracaju 16
Jamaica Coconut Industry Board/Kingston 60
Mexico Centro de Investig. Cientifica de Yucatan 20
Total for Latin America-Caribbean Region 96
GRAND TOTAL 1316
COGENT 3
During the 8th COGENT Steering Committee meeting in Ho
Chi Minh City, Vietnam in September 1999, the proposed
activities of COGENT in 2000 were presented and endorsed
by the Steering Committee members. These activities are
divided into several components, namely; coordination and
capacity building; documentation and information; germplasm
collecting, conservation, characterization, evaluation and use;
and socioeconomic and development aspects.
Under the coordination and capacity building component,
the activities planned for 2000 include enhancing the
effectiveness of ongoing projects; strengthening the five
subnetworks through strengthening national coordination;
rationalizing policy on network membership; recruiting
additional members based on agreed policy; and formulating
collaborative projects and activities.
Activit ies planned under the documentation and
information component include publishing the COGENT
Newsletter and project/meeting reports; and developing
the COGENT webpage, and database on coconut
literature and farmers’ varieties. Meanwhile, activities
planned for the germplasm collecting component include
reviewing and finalizing the consultant’s report on the
collecting strategy before submitting it to the SC and
IPGRI, and circulating it to the member countries.
The conservation activities include developing a
Germplasm Health Operations Manual for the
International Coconut Genebanks (ICGs); finalizing
the proposals for ICG-Southeast and East Asia, South
Asia, South Pacific, and Africa and the Indian Ocean
for submission to suitable donors; finalizing the site
suitability study reports for ICG-Latin America and
identification of suitable donors; and implementing
the DFID-funded embryo culture project in 11
countries.
For germplasm characterization, evaluation and use
component, the activities include implementing the
CFC-funded multi location trials  in six countries;
accelerating characterization data gathering to include
basic molecular marker data in the CGRD; and monitoring
progress of  work in 18 countries involved in the
evaluation of hybrid and varietal performance by the
Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC). Lastly,
the activities planned under the socioeconomic and
development aspects include developing strategies
for in situ conservation under coconut-based farming
systems; and feasibility studies for enhancing
incomes using multipurpose varieties in Bangladesh,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand and
Vietnam.
COGENT Steering Committee
COGENT Steering Committee Workplan for 2000
COGENT priorities and immediate concerns have been
revised by the Steering Committee (SC) during the 8 th
Steering Committee meeting on 20-22 September 1999 in
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to include the following:
1. Collecting, conserving, evaluating and enhancing
coconut germplasm of member countries;
2. Locating and characterizing genetic diversity studies
using morphometric and molecular biology techniques;
3. Conservation in national and regional field
genebanks, in situ conservation and cryopreservation;
4. Developing and updating guidelines on coconut
breeding research techniques and coconut collecting
and conservation strategies;
5. Developing new initiatives for collaborative research
on drought and cold tolerance, disease resistance and
others;
6. Developing a globally coordinated molecular marker-
assisted coconut breeding programme involving
advanced laboratories and member countries;
7. Conducting multilocation trials in coconut-growing
countries to identify productive and adapted varieties
and hybrids based on yields and multipurpose uses
under different production niches;
8. Collecting additional passport and characterization
data, and disseminating the information to enhance
the usefulness of the Coconut Genetic Resources
Database (CGRD);
9. Developing a database on farmers’ varieties and
multipurpose uses of the coconut;
10. Refining and fund sourcing for the coconut regional
projects for the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC),
and Africa and the Indian Ocean (AIO) subnetworks;
11. Promoting public awareness on activities geared
toward sustainable development of the coconut and
poverty alleviation among smallholders;
12. Conducting short-term courses on specific areas that
require strengthening and long-term courses up to
Master of Science level for human resource development;
and
13. Providing technical assistance to enhance the research
capability of member countries and their effective
utilization of research results to benefit coconut farmers.
COGENT Priorities and Immediate Concerns
COGENT 4
COGENT Steering Committee National Programme Reports
Evaluation of
Performance for Suitable
Varieties in Vietnam
By Nguyen An Linh1  and Vo Van Long2
Several well-established, high-yielding coconut hybrids were
imported from other countries in 1984 and 1986 as part of
the national improvement programme of local coconut
varieties in Vietnam. The imported seednuts were sown and
the seedlings planted in seven different adaptability trial sites
in various agroecological zones beginning 1985.
The trials aimed to evaluate the performance of the
imported hybrids in comparison with local coconuts in
order to choose suitable varieties for different
agroecological zones of the country. Another objective is
to establish trial sites that could also serve as
demonstration plots before the hybrids are finally selected
and planted on a large scale. Since the trials were
conducted in two different times with different hybrids,
the results are reported in two separate parts; Trial No.
1 (1985) and Trial No. 2 (1987).
Trial No. 1 (1985)
In 1984, under the cooperative programme with the
French Government, the Oil Plant Institute (OPI) of
Vietnam (the former Research Institute for Oils and Oil
Plants of Vietnam), imported four coconut hybrids from
Côte d’Ivoire. All seednuts were sown in the Binh Thanh
Station nursery, Ho Chi Minh City in July 1984, and the
seedlings were then transplanted in 1985 to seven sites
in different agroecological zones, from the sandy soil of
central Vietnam to the alluvial soils with fresh, brackish
or saline water of the Mekong Delta. Due to the limited
quantity of seedlings of imported varieties, the hybrids
planted at each trial site varied from one to four types.
Trial No. 2 (1987)
In 1986-1987, through the 3-year UNDP-FAO project
entitled “Research & Development of Coconut in
Vietnam”, OPI imported three more hybrids; JVA 1 and
JVA 2 from the Philippines and CRI C65 from Sri Lanka.
The seednuts were sown in Dong Go Experimental
Centre, Ben Tre province. The seedlings were also planted
in the Dong Go Experimental Centre, and the Phu Dong
Farm in the Tien Giang province.
Results
Due to budget restriction, the observations were limited
to the following trial sites; the Luong Hoa Lac, Dong Go
COGENT Steering
Committee Members
1999-2000
For this issue, the following members of COGENT
Steering Committee for the year 1999 - 2000 are featured:
S.P. Ghosh
Dr. Ghosh received his BSc in
Agriculture from the University of
Kalyani, West Bengal in 1961; his
MSc (Horticulture) from P.G. School,
Indian Agricultural Research
Institute (IARI), New Delhi in 1963
and his  PhD in Agriculture
(Horticulture) from Timiriazev
Agriculture Academy, Moscow,
USSR in 1970. Dr. Ghosh started his career as a lecturer
in Horticulture at Kalyani University in 1963, and went
on to hold positions of Director of the Central Tuber Crops
Research Institute, Trivandrum; Project Director of World
Bank-funded research project (NARP) and Assistant
Director General (Horticulture) of ICAR in December
1996. He was also an Executive Council Member of the
International Society for Root and Tuber Crops,
Netherlands in 1991 - 1996, and was a consultant with
the FAO and the World Bank. Dr. Ghosh is a prolific writer
with 189 publications predominantly on horticulture
crops and horticulture-based cropping systems. He is also
the author of five technical books.
Pons Batugal
Dr. Batugal received his BSc in
Agriculture, majoring in plant
breeding, cum laude , from the
University of the Philippines at Los
Baños (UPLB) in 1964; his MSc, with
a major in horticulture, from the
same University in 1968 and his PhD
in Plant Physiology from the
University of California at Davis,
USA in 1972. He was involved in various teaching,
research and development activities, ranging from being
a lecturer at UPLB to high-level research and development
posts, particularly in national (Philippine Council for
Agricultural Resources Research and Development) and
international (International Potato Center) agricultural
institutes. Dr. Batugal is currently an IPGRI Senior
Scientist and coordinator for COGENT. He is also a
member of the Board of Administrators, Bureau for the
Development of Research for Tropical Perennial Crops
(BUROTROP).
COGENT 5
Experimental Center and the Giong
Trom Farm for Trial No. 1, and the
Dong Go Experimental Center for Trial
No. 2. The hybrids were planted in a
randomized complete block design
with 2-8 treatments, 5-6 replications
and with Green Ta as local control.
Observations were carried out in two
stages of development of the coconut
palms using the French IRHO
procedures of measurement for
adaptability trials.
The hybrids planted in 1985 had shown
higher economic efficiency than the
local varieties under the same planting
and maintenance conditions. This was
evaluated according to the criteria of
total nuts, copra and oil per tree, where
the hybrids always had significantly
higher values than the local Ta and
Dau. Among the sites, which have
different conditions of soils, water
National Programme Reports
and maintenance, those with more
favourable conditions gave higher
efficiency.
For the hybrids planted in 1987, the
vegetative growths were nearly the
same for all varieties. However, the
flowering and bearing rates of the
hybrids were better than the local
varieties.
There were no unfamiliar harmful
agents observed from the imported
seednuts. Most of the existing
coconut pests and diseases of
Vietnam had not caused any serious
damage and there had been no
distinct difference between the
hybrids and the local varieties with
regards to the damage levels.
1 Coconut Breeder, OPI, Vietnam
2 Coconut Scientist, OPI, Vietnam
National
Programme on
Coconut in
India
K.U.K. Nampoothiri1 , V.A.
Parthasarathy2  and M. Elangovan3
Coconut plays a significant role in
the national economy of India,
especially in the areas of rural
employment and income generation.
In recent years, India has attained the
top position in coconut production of
the world.  With an area of  1 .89
million ha and a production of 13088
million nuts in 1997-98, coconut
contributed 70 billion rupees (US$1.7
billion) annually to the country’s
Gross Domestic Production (GDP).
Coconut is grown under varying soil
and climatic conditions in 18 states
and three union territories.  The
Coconut Development Board (CDB)
manages the developmental work
while research on coconut is being
carried out at the Central Plantation
Crops Research Institute (CPCRI)
and its regional stations, and various
centres of All India Coordinated
Research Project on Palms (AICRP),
which is under the Indian Council for
Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The National Agricultural Cooperating
Marketing Federation (NAFED) is
the central nodal agency for the
procurement of milling and ball
copra under the price support
scheme of the Government of India.
The price support scheme is to ensure
farmers a minimum support price
that is set by the Commission for
Agricultural Costs and Prices
(CACP) set up by the government.
Coconuts are utilized both as tender
and mature nuts. As much as 48 % of
the coconut production is used for
edible and religious purposes, 10 % as
(Continued On Page 6)Malayan Red Dwarf in the Dong Go Experimental Centre, Ben Tre Province.
COGENT 6
tender coconut, roughly 30 % as milling
copra for oil extraction, 8 % for the
manufacture of edible copra and the
balance is processed into products such
as desiccated coconut and coconut
cream. In India, it is estimated that
about 40 % of the total production of
coconut oil is consumed for edible
purpose, 46 % for toiletry use and about
14 % for industrial uses. The demand for
coconut by 2002 is projected at 24 000
million nuts at 10% growth rate. The
projection of coconut area by 2002 is 2.67
million ha with a growth rate of 6%.
Coir and coir products earned about
US$ 2922 million in 1998-99. Coir as
geo-textiles is a recent end use
application of the coir fibre in the world
market. It has an immense potential as
an income generating product for
coconut farmers in India and for export.
CPCRI holds the world’s largest
germplasm collection of 132
accessions (46 indigenous and 86
exotic) field planted and bearing.
Kidu in Karnataka, India was selected
as the site for the International
Coconut Genebank for South Asia
(ICG-SA) where 200 accessions are
expected to be planted. The institute
has one of the oldest and strongest
research facilities in the world with
the mandate to develop appropriate
production, protection and processing
technologies for palms.
Activities include the release of
Laccadive Ordinary (LO), Philippines
Ordinary (PO), Chowghat Orange
Dwarf (COD) X West Coast Tall
(WCT), WCT X COD and LO X COD
coconut for cultivation based on their
better performance over local talls.
Seventy-six ex vitro established plants
belonging to different accessions
collected from the Indian Ocean
Islands were transferred to the net
house for field planting.  Other areas
of research include embryo culture
and DNA marker technology.
The productivity of coconut based on
high-density crop model could be
maintained at higher levels even with
sub-optimal doses of fertilizers by
proper recycling of biomass in the
system. Vermicompost, prepared
from coconut waste and coir pith,
was found to be an ideal carrier in the
preparation of biofertilizers of nitrogen
fixing Beijerinckia indica and phosphate
solubilizing bacteria. Research on
National Programme Reports
physiological genetics of drought
tolerance has led to the understanding
of gene action for drought tolerance.
New surveys were conducted in hot
spots in Kerala to identify root (wilt)
disease tolerant elite mother palms.
A cheap and effective control
measure has been recommended for
leaf rot disease. Control method for
biological suppression of major pests
like rhinoceros beetle and Nephantis
serinopa have been identified.
Eriophyid mite infestation is regarded
as a serious pest in the Kerala and
Tamil Nadu provinces. Root feeding
with 10 ml Monocrotophos  diluted
with 10 ml water given three times
at monthly interval has been found
to be effective in controlling the pest.
A technology for the production of
oyster mushroom from palm wastes
has been standardized.
The objectives of the research activities
of the All India Coordinated Research
Project on Palms (AICRPP) are to i)
collect, conserve, catalogue and
evaluate germplasm, new hybrids and
high yielding varieties in coconut; ii)
standardize agrotechnique for various
agro-climatic regions and develop
appropriate farming/cropping system
compatible with the main crop; and iii)
develop effective and efficient disease
and pest management strategies.
An important activity of the institute
is to disseminate research results to the
extension agencies and the farming
community through pamphlets,
training programmes on various
aspects of production technology,
exhibitions and production of quality
planting material for supply to the
farmers and research centres. These are
strengthened through Krishi Vigyan
Kendra (KVK) and the Institute Village
Linkage Programme (IVLP).
1 Director, CPCRI, India
2 Principal Scientist & Head Crop
Improvement Division, CPCRI, India
3 Scientist(Economic Botany), CPCRI,
IndiaCoconuts are utilized as tender nuts.
(Continued From Page 5)
COGENT 7
National Programme Reports
Coconut, together with rootcrops, is the
most important staple food in Vanuatu.
It is grown on an estimated area of 91
000 hectares. Eighty per cent of the
production is by smallholders with an
average area of 3.4 ha per family. Copra
remains the main source of income for
the rural population especially in the
isolated islands. Copra exports
constitute 30 to 50% of total export
earning with an annual production
between 35 000 and 40 000 metric tons.
Coconut research in Vanuatu started in
1962 with the establishment of the
Saraoutou station in the northern
island of Santo. Since 1994, the station
has been integrated into the Vanuatu
Agricultural Research and Training
Center (VARTC) and is managed by
Centre de Coopération Internationale
en Recherche Agronomique pour le
Développement (CIRAD), a French
research institution. Coconut research
remains an important activity for the
center, together with cocoa, rootcrops
(yam, taro, sweet potato), coffee, kava
(Piper methysticum ) and livestock.
VARTC is the implementing agency of
projects funded by the Vanuatu
Government, French institutions,
European Union and IPGRI. The
agency collaborates with several
networks such as the Pacific Regional
Agricultural Programme (PRAP) and
COGENT.
Vanuatu’s coconut research pro-
gramme focuses on coconut breeding
and genetic improvement through: the
management of an important field
genebank and hybrid trials; implemen-
tation of a regional project and its
participation in COGENT activities;
physiological method of predicting
productivity of coconut palm; and
optimization of the coconut-based
farming systems. Four scientists, in-
cluding two senior scientists from
CIRAD, and five research assistants are
currently working on this programme.
Coconut breeding and genetic
improvement
At the national level, VARTC provides
planting material (seednuts and
seedlings) to farmers and establishes
a breeding programme to improve the
performance of the local tall cultivar by
crossing it with other ecotypes.
The main objective of the programme
is to increase the yield and resistance
to the coconut foliar decay disease.
This viral disease, transmitted by the
insect Myndus taffini,  is endemic in
Vanuatu. The local coconut ecotypes
are resistant but all the exotic ones
(and most of the hybrids) are more
or less susceptible and die rapidly.
Only two hybrids show a good
resistance to the disease; Vanuatu
Red Dwarf x Vanuatu Tall (VRD x
VTT), and Vanuatu Tall x Rennell
Tall.  Due to its good production
potential of 3 metric tons copra/ha
at 240 grams copra per nut, farmers
give preference to the Vanuatu Tall
x Rennell Tall. At present, a breeding
programme is being developed to
improve the performance of this
hybrid by selecting the best parent
populations of VTT and RIT, and
testing several crossings.
In the domain of genetic resources,
VARTC is managing one of the most
important field genebanks in the
South Pacific. It comprises of 38
distinct ecotypes (14 dwarf and 24
tall) and 14 local populations
introduced from Africa, Asia, South
America and the Pacific area. This
genebank is regularly rejuvenated
and enriched with new populations
collected in the country. The collecting
is currently being carried out in the
framework of two COGENT projects
funded by the International Fund for
Agricultural Development and the
Asian Development Bank. Through
participatory surveys with the rural
communities, several islands are
prospected in order to collect
information on local names and uses
of coconut populations, and to get an
overview of the coconut genetic
diversity in Vanuatu.
At the regional level, VARTC has
been implementing, since 1989, a
project called “Production and
Dissemination of Improved Coconut
Coconut Research in Vanuatu
By Jean-Pierre Labouisse1  and Dr. Olivier Roupsard  2
Hand pollination for creating hybrid at the VARTC. (Continued On Page 8)
COGENT 8
Cultivars” (PDICC), in the framework
of PRAP funded by the European
Union. Eight countries collaborate in
this project, namely, Fiji, Kiribati,
Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon
Island, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
Between 1992 and 1999,  39 new
hybrid crossings were created by
hand pollination and eight trials
were successfully established in
Saraoutou station. This represents a
total surface area of  57 ha with
approximately 8800 palms under
observation. Each trial incorporates
hybrids created by crossing diverse
dwarf cultivars with a tall cultivar
from other Pacific countries. The
results of these trials will permit the
construction of a database which
would be beneficial for the research
and extension services within the
region. The countries will be advised
to reproduce the best crossings by
using their own germplasms and
seed gardens.
Training courses on coconut breeding
and production of hybrid planting
materials are also organized.
Coconut palm physiology and
optimization of coconut-based
farming systems
The objectives of the agro-physiology
programme are to foresee the
productivity and yield of stands, and
optimize the cultivation techniques
and farmers’ incomes. Management
of coconut plantations was
traditionally based on empirical
knowledge. Although it was of high
demonstrative value, it did not take
into account the functional
physiology of coconut trees and
partners, or their response to the
climate. Prediction value was thus,
limited in time and space. The
physiological method was chosen
with the help of models developed
by the research programme. The
software tools represent and predict
productivity from physiology and
climate data.
National Programme Reports
On VARTC experi-
mental plots, nu-
merous physiologi-
cal parameters deter-
mining the coconut archi-
tecture and the response to
climate are measured, namely; the
rate of organ production and growth
rate (dry mass) of every coconut com-
partment, light interception and trans-
mission by canopies, photosynthesis,
respiration rates, organ composition,
and tree transpiration (assessed with
the help of sap flow gauges placed in
the trunk). From these measurements,
allocation of dry mass to the compart-
ments is inferred and 3-D mock-ups are
built. The carbon balance is being com-
puted and compared to the dry matter
balance.
All parameters are gathered into a
mechanistic construction, where the
main aspects of functioning and
development are summed up. For
instance, the amount of light
intercepted by coconuts can be
computed on numerical mock-ups
(Fig. 1). The response of the
productivity of each partner to the
amount of intercepted light is being
established. Root growth and
competition can also be estimated.
Virtual plantations are now being used
to compare with the real ones in order
to assess the validity of simulations.
Various virtual coconut-based
plantations will then be assessed on
computers for optimizing yield, taking
into account genotypes, type of
association, density, age, etc.
Besides these basic research activities,
surveys are being organized by rural
communities in coconut growing areas
to collect information on existing
farming systems and to characterize
the agricultural situations. In the
future, different models of foodcrop/
coconut intercropping systems will
be tested in order to recommend to
coconut farmers a sustainable
agricultural production system with
a more effective use of available land.
1 Plant Breeder, Head of Coconut
Division, VARTC, Vanuatu
2 Plant Physiologist, VARTC, Vanuatu
Figure 1. 3D mock-up of
light intercepted daily by
one coconut tree located in a
9 x 9m stand.
(Continued From Page 7)
COGENT 9
Coconut is the most important cash crop
along the coastal belt of Ghana. The
industry provides direct employment
for approximately 8% of the total rural
population. Coconut oil processing is
one of the main occupations for
women in the rural communities.
Sometimes, it is the only income
generating activity available to them.
At present, Ghana’s coconut research
programme is focused on the
following objectives:
• Developing and evaluating coconut
ecotypes for high yield and tolerance
to Cape St. Paul Wilt Disease (CSPWD)
• Finding the vector of CSPWD
• Conducting epidemiological studies
of the CSPWD
• Improving coconut oil mills in villages
• Controlling the Oryvtes sp  and
Pseudotheraptus devastans diseases
• Developing coconut-based farming
systems
The incidence of a lethal yellowing type
disease referred to as Cape St. Paul
Wilt disease (CSPWD) has had a major
influence on the coconut research pro-
gramme in Ghana. Previous and ongo-
ing coconut research activities sup-
ported by the Government of France,
the European Union under its Science
and Technology for Development, the
Overseas Development Administration
(U.K) and the World Bank, have led
to considerable advances in finding a
hybrid tolerant to CSPWD.
The Coconut Sector Development
Project was launched with support
from Agence Francais Developpment
in collaboration with CIRAD. The
project aims to replant the zones
devastated by the CSPWD with tolerant
hybrids; improve the productivity of
the unaffected farms by providing
credit to farmers for maintenance and
fertilizer; and improve the efficiency of
the village mill.
National Programme Reports
Coconut Research and
Development in Ghana
By Sylvester K. Dery1
The practice of growing coconut as a
low-input monocrop (no fertilizer and
minimal maintenance) has resulted in
low yields, thus making coconut non-
competitive in areas where other cash
crops can flourish. Intercropping and
the incorporation of small ruminants
have been shown to increase the
profitability of coconut cultivation.
These coconut-based farming systems
are being studied in Ghana. Although
vector management as an option for
CSPWD control may not hold much
promise, knowledge of the vector can
help breeders reduce the resistance-
screening period considerably.
Studies on the epidemiology of Cape
St. Paul Wilt Disease (CSPWD) are
being conducted in collaboration
with Rothamstead Experimental
Station (U.K) and N.R.I. (U.K).
Molecular biology methods are being
used to study the latent periods of
CSPWD. The control  of  a  major
coconut pest, the rhinoceros beetle
Oryctes sp., using pheromones and
metharhyzium, is also being studied.
Coconut oil processing in Ghana is
conducted mainly in village oil mills
using the wet method. The efficiency of
this method is very low and even after
a second milling, extraction efficiency
is still between 60 - 65%. This makes the
resultant residue too oily to be used as
animal feed. Funding has been secured
from Agence Francais Developpment
to improve the oil extraction efficiency.
This activity is also being done in
collaboration with CIRAD.
The activities described would hopefully
contribute to Ghana’s research pro-
gramme on improving rural employment
and agriculture industry linkage through
the increased production of coconut.
1 Coordinator, Coconut Research Programme,
Oil Palm Research Institute, Ghana.
Coconuts Names from
the Rennell Island
This list is extracted from the
‘Dictionary of the Language of
Rennell and Bellona Islands -
Volume III (Part 1)’ by Samuel H.
Elbert. It clearly confirms that
many coconut types co-exist on
the Rennell Island.
Niu (1) Coconut tree  (Cocos
nucifera L.)
Niu (2) Liberation of fresh water
or water squeezed from a banana
stalk (as of tai ) and poured
ceremonially from a coconut shell
with ritual formulas, as to cure
sickness or cleanse a garden of
evil gods
niu ‘agiki (n. ‘angiki) A coconut
tree with nut whose flesh forms
quickly
niu ‘atua A coconut tree with nut
whose flesh forms slowly
niu ghope  A kind of coconut
with light yellowish nuts,
perhaps named for the flesh of
the tuber
niu kehu A common kind of
coconut with rather orange nuts
niu mata mea  A kind of coconut
with reddish husk at the end with
the eyes
niu ngau An introduced coconut
with edible husk
niu taka. A coconut whose flesh
is loose and drying
niu tea A kind of coconut with a
hard shell
niu uga (n. unga)  A kind of
coconut with reddish-coloured
nuts
niu ‘ui. A kind of coconut with
dark green nuts
COGENT 10
Feature Articles
According to the Coconut Genetic
Resources Database (CGRD) version
1999, the Rennell Island Tall cultivar
(RIT) is represented worldwide by 19
accessions and 2695 individual palms.
At least 11 germplasm conservation
centres are involved in this conser-
vation process, namely, Brazil, Côte
d’Ivoire, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Jamaica,
Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon
Islands, Tanzania and Vanuatu. The
registered accession sizes are highly
variable, from only two palms in
India to 561 in Côte d’Ivoire.
Côte d’Ivoire exported more than ten
thousand RIT seednuts from 1970 to
1981. Among the countries involved
was Benin, which received 300
seednuts in 1978; Cameroon with
1570 seednuts from 1975 to 1979;
Malaysia with 950 seednuts in 1974
and 1979; Mexico with 1500 seednuts
in 1979; Mozambique with 150
seednuts in 1974; Thailand with 549
seednuts in 1974 and 1976; and Sao
Tome, which received 275 seednuts.
The largest introduction was done in
Indonesia, with more than 5000
seedlings imported from Côte
d’Ivoire in 1976. Seednuts were also
collected from four palms showing
the spicata form on the Rennell Island
in 1964 and the following years.
Spicata  is a special form characterized
by inflorescence with a large number
of female flowers growing directly on
the central axis, and with very few
or no spikelets. About 43 of those
palms have been established at
Banika and Yandina Estate, in the
Solomon Islands. In 1974, 11 palms
from the remaining progeny showed
spicata habit (Friend 1976).
The seednuts from the Rennell Island
are selected for their large size. The
fruits are also among the biggest and
heaviest in the world. The fruit shape
is quite variable, from oblong to pear
shaped. Some of the fruits have a
long tit or lug at the bottom, which
is quite specific to the RIT cultivar.
The colour of the young fruits range
mainly from green to brown-red,
although yellow or orange ones are
occasionally found. The fruits have
a good composition with a high content
of solid albumen and free water. Inside
the husk, the nut is drop-shaped and
pointed at the top (at the germination
side). On the opposite side, the nut is
often terminated by a sort of shell point
of about 10 mm long that grows inside
the husk.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the stem is bulky and
starts with a very big bole, the broadest
within the introduced cultivars, where
the vertical growth is a little bit faster
than the West African Tall. The leaf is
quite short when taken into account the
huge stem development. Flowering
begins 55 to 60 months after planting.
The inflorescence is wide and bends
quite rapidly after opening. It has a
very long peduncle and quite a number
of spikelets.
The floral biology has been observed
in Côte d’Ivoire. The RIT belongs to
Category II as defined by Rognon
(1976). It has an indirect autogamy, a
short female phase with little over-
lapping between the male and female
phase of the same inflorescence, but
with a considerable overlapping of the
phases of successive inflorescence.
RIT characterization data for seven
countries can be found in the CGRD
version 1999. These data describe the
following characteristics: germina-
tion rate, stem morphology, leaf,
inflorescence and flower morphology,
fruit component analysis, and yield.
Data for the fruit composition came
from Tanzania, Thailand, Philippines
and Côte d’Ivoire. The mean weight
of the whole fruit ranges from 1443
grams in Tanzania to 1707 grams in
Côte d’Ivoire. The fresh albumen
weight varies from 491 grams in
Tanzania to 593 grams in Thailand.
The mature fruit production is given
Whole palm Fruits Inflorescence Split fruits
Rennell Island Tall
By Roland Bourdeix 1 , J.L. Konan2  and Jean-Pierre Labouisse3
COGENT 11
only for Côte d’Ivoire, which produces
48 fruits per palm per year, and the
Philippines with 78 fruits per palm
per year.
RIT is tolerant to the phytophtora
diseases in Côte d’Ivoire (Franqueville
et al. 1991) and in Indonesia (Darwis
1992). The RIT is sensitive to the Lethal
Yellowing Diseases (LYD) in Jamaica
(Been 1979), Tanzania (Schuiling et al.
1992) and Ghana (Sangare et al. 1992).
This cultivar was also classified as
sensitive to the coconut foliar decay of
Vanuatu (Calvez et al. 1985), although
some progenies of individual palms
have shown an interesting tolerance
level. In Papua New Guinea, the
Scapanes Oryctes or Black Palm weevil
complex is the major insect problem in
the island region and parts of the
mainland. Both RIT and its hybrid with
the Malayan Dwarfs are sensitive to it
(Faure and Moxon 1998).
It is difficult to list all the crosses where
RIT was involved as parental material
due to its wide utilization in the
breeding programmes. The hybrid
Malayan Red Dwarf x RIT is diffused
in many countries in the Pacific region.
The improvement of this hybrid began
in the Solomon Islands during the Joint
Coconut Research Scheme, but it was
unsuccessful. In Vanuatu, the RIT has
Feature Articles
References
Been, B.O. 1979. Observations on field
resistance to lethal yellowing in coconut
varieties and hybrids in Jamaïca.
Cyclostyled. Research Dept. Coconut
Industry Board, Kingston, Jamaica.
Oléagineux 36, 1981. P 9-12.
Bourdeix, R., J. Meunier and Y.P N’Cho. 1991.
Une stratégie de sélection du cocotier Cocos
nucifera  L. II. Amélioration des hybrides
Grand x Grand. Oléagineux 46. P. 267-282.
Bourdeix R., A. Sangare, J.P. Le Saint, J. Meunier,
J.P. Gascon, F. Rognon and and M. de Nuce
de Lamothe. 1993. Coconut breeding at
IRHO and its application in seed
production. In: Advances in Coconut
Research and Development, Nair, M.K. et
al. (eds). Kerala Agricultural University,
Kasaragod, India.
Calvez, C., J.F. Julia and M. de Nuce de
Lamothe. 1985. L’amélioration du cocotier
au Vanuatu et son intéret pour la région
Pacifique. Oléagineux 40. P.  477-490.
been crossed with at least six dwarf and
seven tall cultivars. The hybrid
between the Vanuatu Tall and the RIT
is tolerant to coconut foliar decay
(Calvez 1980) and is disseminated to
farmers who appreciate the increase in
yield and the size of the nut compared
to the local Tall. This hybrid is currently
being improved using the RIT
progenies tolerant to the foliar decay
disease.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the RIT has been
crossed with nine dwarfs and eight
tall cultivars. In fact,  all  the tall
cultivars introduced are now
systematically crossed with the RIT
and the West African Tall (WAT)
(Bourdeix et al. 1991). The hybrids
between the RIT and the Cameroon
Red Dwarf (CRD), and the Malayan
Red Dwarf (MRD) and the WAT, have
also been improved based on
Individual Combining Ability tests
(Bourdeix et al. 1993). In Africa, the
performance of the Rennell  Tall
hybrids does not seem to be stable.
Under good soil and climatic
conditions, they achieve very high
yields, but during drought periods or
on soils with low fertil ity,  their
production sometimes proves
disappointing. In Côte d’Ivoire, one
of the two improved hybrids
currently distributed is a Rennell
Island Tall cross (with the CRD as
female). It is recommended to be
used only in the most suitable zones.
The Philippines and Indonesia have
tested, respectively, at least nine and six
hybrids, including the RIT as parent. In
Jamaica, the RIT has been crossed with
at least three cultivars. These hybrids
are also being tested in Papua New
Guinea, Tanzania and Thailand.
Controversy remains about the
numerous seednuts collected from
the Rennell Island. Even on the
island, the coconut population is
said not to be very homogeneous.
M.A. Foale, who visited the
Rennell Island in 1964, said that the
pure true-to-type Rennell, with big
and pointed fruits, is found mainly
around the volcanic lake on the
eastern part of the island. There is
a mix between the Rennell Island
and the ordinary type along the
coastal area, known as the Solomon
Island Tall, which has smaller
oblong fruits.
1 Coconut Breeder, CIRAD, Delorme
Research Station, Côte d’Ivoire
2 Head of Coconut Breeding Section, Marc
Delorme Research Station, Côte d’Ivoire
3 Head of Coconut Division, VARTC,
Vanuatu
Phytophtora heveae  en Côte d’Ivoire. In:
National Symposium on Coconut Breeding
and Management, Kerala Agricultural
University, India.
Friend, D. 1976. Review of the coconut breeding
programme 1971-1974, Solomon Islands
and Lever’s Pacific Plantations. Joint
Coconut Research Scheme. Honiara. Pp. 69.
Rognon F. 1976. Biologie florale du cocotier.
Oléagineux 31. P. 13-18.
Sangare, A., G. de Taffin, H. de Franqueville,
E.D.Arkhust and M.Pomier. Le
Jaunissement mortel du cocotier au Ghana.
Premiers résultats sur le comportement au
champ du matériel végétal. Oléagineux 47.
P. 699-704.
Schuiling, M., A. Mpunami, D.A. Kaiza and
H.C Harries. 1992. Lethal disease of coconut
palm in Tanzania - low resistance of
imported germplasm. Oléagineux 47. P.
693-697.
Calvez, C., J.L. Renard and G. Marty. 1980. La
tolérance du cocotier hybride Local x Rennell
à la maladie des Nouvelles Hébrides.
Oléagineux 35. P. 443-449.
Darwis, S.N. and H.T. Luntungan. 1992. Status
of existing coconut collection in South East
Asia. Industrial Crops Research Journal 4 and
2. P. 27-39.
Faure, M. and J. Moxon. 1998. National coconut
breeding programme in Papua New Guinea.
In: Coconut Breeding. Papers presented at a
workshop on Standardization of Coconut
Breeding Research Techniques, 20-25 June
1994, Port Bouët, Côte d’Ivoire. Batugal., P.A.
and V. Ramanatha Rao , (eds.). IPGRI-APO,
Serdang, Malaysia.
Foale, M.A. 1964. Report on a visit to Rennell
Island B.S.I.P. to study the coconut
population. Cyclostyled report. Joint Coconut
Research Scheme, Solomon Islands.
Franqueville, H. de, A. Sangare, J.P. le Saint, M.
Pommier and J.L. Renard. 1991. Mise en
évidence de caractères de tolérance au
COGENT 12
Coconut enjoys an exalted position in
the Hindu religion and culture. It is
offered to deities in temples and used
in many traditional and religious
rituals, and festivals. Thousands of
coconuts are broken during festive
seasons, and no important function
can commence without first breaking
open a dehusked coconut. According
to Lt. Kol (B) K. Sathaya, President
of the Hindu Darma Mamandram
and a Council Member of the Hindu
Sangam Association in Malaysia, one
needs to understand the philosophy
behind a certain ritual to fully
observe its significance. The same
principle applies to the role of
coconut in Hinduism.
Philosophically, the coconut is
chosen because it represents the body
and soul of a man. In the case of the
coconut, one has to pry open the
smooth surface of the nut, pull off the
rough husk, and break open the hard
shell to get to the soft kernel. In
Hinduism, the same principle applies
to a man’s soul. The soul is believed
to transcend three bodies, namely 1)
‘toola’ - gross body or the physical
body; 2) ‘shuksma’ - the subtle body;
and 3) ‘ karana’  -  the casual.  The
breaking of a coconut by a priest
symbolizes the opening of the soul
to the knowledge and wisdom of God.
In Hinduism, the highest offering a
devotee can give to God is himself or
herself .  This form of sacrifice is
symbolically represented by the
coconut. When a coconut is broken
or sliced, it will reveal the whiteness
of the kernel and the purity of the
water. These represent the pureness
of the ‘atma’  (soul) being offered to
God. This ritual is called ‘atma
nivedalam’ (offering of soul). It can
only be performed at the foot of a
deity or the feet of the Lord (paduga),
by an ordained priest or holy man.
The breaking of coconut to propitiate
Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom,
is very popular. When a devotee
breaks a coconut for Lord Ganesha,
it represents the devotee’s plea to be
bestowed with the Lord’s wisdom
and knowledge. The breaking of a
coconut also symbolizes the temple
of Lord Ayyappa, located in
Sabrimala, in the months of
November to January every year.
They carry coconuts and smash them
at the foot of the 18 steps leading into
the inner sanctum of the temple.
Some coconuts are filled with ghee.
The devotees break the coconuts into
half and pour the ghee over the idol
when they reach the temple. They
then throw the empty cups into a fire
pit situated near the steps.  The
pilgrims would also carry 5  -  7
additional coconuts to be broken at
several temples along the way to
Sabrimala. Every year, it is estimated
that around 100 million coconuts are
used for these purposes.
During the Chath festival celebrated
in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other
states in India, thousands of women
would converge on the banks of the
holy river Ganga, carrying coconuts
as offering to the sun. Medam, the
Malayalam month for April, heralds
the beginning of the New Year.
During this month, the Keralites
celebrate Vishu, a major ceremony
whereby auspicious objects,
including coconuts, are arranged the
previous night, so that one would
wake up in the morning to be greeted
by them. A festival called Narial
Pournami is observed along the sea
coast at the end of the rainy season
where devotees offer coconuts to
Varuna, the sea God.
Aside from the whole nuts, other
coconut products are also used.
Coconut water, for example, is used
to pour over deities, and to wash the
bones of a cremated body. Traditional
lamps in temples are lighted by using
coconut oil, while the food offered to
Gods in the Kerala’s  temples is
cooked using coconut husks and
spathes. They are also used in the
preparation of the sacrificial fire.
Coconut toddy is offered to deities in
rituals connected with sorcery.
Coconut shells, husks and wood are
used as part of the cremation fire,
while a coconut seedling would be
planted at the place of cremation.
There are many legends and
anecdotes centered on coconut in
India, particularly in Kerala.
Whatever the truth may be, coconut
palm is revered as a divine tree and
the products used extensively in the
Hindu culture and religious rituals
throughout India. This gives
credence to the saying in Kerala that
‘birth or death, coconut is
indispensable’. Or, as Lt. Kol (B) K.
Sathaya commented, coconut could
just easily be chosen by its virtue of
being able to last for a long time,
available all year round, and have
many practical uses that benefit the
community.
1 President, Peekay Tree Crops
Development Foundation, India
2 Communication Assistant, COGENT
Secretariat, Malaysia
Feature Articles
Coconut in Hinduism
By P.K. Thampan1  and Shalizahanim Shukor2
COGENT 13
The four Pacific Islands countries
(Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall
Islands and Tuvalu) consist of
numerous small islands and atolls
scattered over a very large sea area.
Coconut  (with sea products) is one
of the staple foods and main source
of income for the population of the
islands. The isolation of the islands
and, in many cases,  their harsh
environment (saline, low-fertility
and water-deficient soils) result in
coconut populations with very
specific characteristics and
adaptation to atoll conditions.
The ADB-funded project for the four
countries aims to collect available
diversity of local coconut population
which will be used by the countries
to mitigate genetic erosion due to
population pressure, palm ageing
and natural hazards (cyclones and
sea level rise) and to develop
improved varieties. The collections
made during this study will conserve
precious germplasm which could be
used to develop better varieties for
the atolls, enrich the collection of the
PNG hosted-International Coconut
Genebank for the South Pacific (ICG-
SP), and facilitate the exchange of
important cultivars in the future with
other countries. The morphometric
description and the molecular markers
analysis of these populations will not
only generate information on genetic
diversity within these collections but
also improve the knowledge on the
origin and the dissemination path of
coconut in the Pacific Islands.
The objectives of the project are to
train researchers in collecting and
coconut breeding research techniques;
collect seednuts and embryos of
identified populations; send the
embryos to the Secretariat of the
Pacific Community (SPC), which will
grow and subsequently transfer in
vitro seedlings to the International
Coconut Genebank (ICG) for the
South Pacific in Papua New Guinea;
gather passport data of identified
populations and conserve germplasm
in situ; plant the collected germplasm
in the genebank of the four countries;
and submit passport data to the
Coconut Genetic Resources Database
(CGRD).
The national project leaders are Mr.
Tiara Mataora (Research Officer,
Totokoitu Research Station, Cook
Islands), Mr. Tokintekai (Agroforestry
Officer, Ministry of Resources
Development, Kiribati), Mr. Henry
Capelle (Agroforestry Officer, Ministry
of Resources and Development,
Marshall Island) and Mr. Sam Panapa
(Plant Protection Officer, Ministry of
Natural Resources and Environment,
Tuvalu). Mr. Jean-Pierre Labouisse of
CIRAD, currently Head of the Coconut
Division, Vanuatu Agricultural
Research and Training Centre (VRTC),
is the overall project coordinator.
Ongoing Projects
Four Pacific Island Countries to Conserve
Precious Coconut Germplasm
ADB-funded Project: Coconut Germplasm Collecting, Characterization and Conservation in Cook Islands, Kiribati,
Marshall Islands and Tuvalu
Enhancing the Incomes and Nutrition of Coconut
Farmers in the Asia Pacific Region
IFAD-funded Project: Sustainable Use of Coconut Genetic Resources to Enhance Incomes and Nutrition of Coconut
Smallholders in the Asia Pacific Region
Selected COGENT member countries
in the Asia Pacific region will
conduct a study entitled, “Feasibility
studies on the establishment of
integrated coconut processing
projects to produce products from
coconut husk and handicrafts from
coconut shell and the identification
of suitable varieties for the identified
viable products”.  The countries
involved include Bangladesh,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, The
Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
The target coconut products are
geotextile, coir fibre, coir pith and
handicrafts.
The objectives of the project are to
assess the various aspects of
producing and marketing processed
coconut products from coconut husk
and shell; recommend viable
production modules for use in the
participating countries; identify the
coconut varieties suitable for the
identified products; and source
and ship coconut fibre-making
equipment to the participating
countries for testing.
The Bicol Agricultural and Rural
Development Center, Inc. (BARDCI)
is  undertaking the study in the
Philippines. BARDCI will assess the
various aspects of producing and
(Continued On Page 14)
COGENT 14
Ongoing Projects
The study in Bangladesh will be
undertaken by the Horticulture
Research Centre of the Bangladesh
Agricultural Research to 1) identify
locations in Bangladesh where
people uses coconut intensively in
various forms;  2)  document the
variety of coconut uses, the practices
involved in these uses,  and the
products; 3) assess the quality of the
products, their demand in local,
regional, national and export
markets; economic (labour, capital)
and technological constraints to the
production of the different products;
the production and market potential
of various products; 4) ascertain the
approximate size of the population
involved in making different coconut
products, and the economic returns
they receive from these activities; and
5) assess the flow of economic
benefits from coconut products to the
economic condition of households.
Activities will start in April 2000 for
a duration of about three months.
The other participating countries will
conduct similar activities when their
participation is formalized.Coconut fibre net as an alternative product to enhance the incomes of farmers.
Coconut fibre products in Vietnam.
marketing products from coconut
husk and Makapuno palm; determine
and compare the efficiency of seven
fibre processing tools and equipment
fabricated by an engineer in
Guinobatan, Albay, and similar tools
received from Vietnam; recommend
economically viable production
modules that can be implemented
nationwide; and identify marketable
high-value products that will
enhance the incomes of coconut
farmers in the Philippines.
Similarly, the Oil Plant Institute (OPI)
in Vietnam was commissioned to
conduct a feasibility study on the
production and marketing of coconut
fibre products from coconut husk,
and coconut handicrafts from
coconut shell; and to procure and
ship coconut fibre processing
equipment, for pilot testing, to other
participating countries.
(Continued From Page 13)
COGENT 15
Fourteen laboratories in 11 countries
are conducting a 2-year research to
refine the coconut embryo culture
and acclimatization technology. The
countries involved are Brazil, China,
Cuba, France, India, Indonesia,
Mexico, Papua New Guinea,
Philippines, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.
Mexico, France and Tanzania are
funding their own studies. A survey
questionnaire on the current
application of coconut embryo in
vitro  was distributed to institutions
worldwide at the start of the project.
The survey showed that the poor
results of the overall protocol were
mainly due to low percentage of
embryos developing into whole
plantlets in vitro. The acclimatization
phase of the in vitro plantlets was,
however, relatively efficient.
The main part of the project was the
testing of the four main in vitro
culture protocols available from
PCA, UPLB, CPCRI and ORSTOM, to
those used by the participating
laboratories. The aim was to compare
the efficiencies of the protocols using
locally available varieties.
The results showed improvement in
the current technology was obtained.
There was an increase in embryo
germination and the number of
whole plantlets obtained in vitro.
There was also an increase in the
survival rate of the seedlings after
they were transferred from the test
tube to the nursery. A pronounced
genotypic effect was also detected in
laboratory experiments using the
local varieties.
Additional researches were also per-
formed on topics such as the effect of
various growth regulators on the ger-
mination of embryos, physiological
aspects, and medium-term in vitro
conservation of the embryos. Results of
these physiological studies in partici-
pating laboratories in France, India,
Mexico, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Tan-
zania have provided a better initial
understanding of the effects of culture
media, light, carbon dioxide, tempera-
ture, growth promoters and inhibitors,
and nutrients on the survival rates of
in vitro  embryo-derived seedlings.
All participating laboratories are
now able to culture coconut embryos
in vitro and to successfully acclimatize
the plantlets. This will encourage
germplasm exchange among
IPGRI and COGENT Initiate Research to
Improve In Vitro Techniques
DFID-funded Project: Improvement of In Vitro Techniques for Collecting and Exchange of Coconut Germplasm
Ongoing Projects
(Continued On Page 16)
Participants of the 2nd International Coconut Embryo Culture Workshop, 14-17 March
2000 in Mexico.
Embryo-derived coconut seedlings in the
nursery of CPCRI, India.
COGENT 16
Six countries in South America and
Africa are participating in the CFC-
funded project entitled, “Coconut
Germplasm Utilization and Conser-
vation to Promote Sustainable Coco-
nut Production”. The countries in-
volved are Benin, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire,
Jamaica, Mexico and Tanzania. The aim
of the project is to assist the national
programmes of the selected countries
in conducting multilocation trials to
identify hybrids or varieties with bet-
ter yield and broader adaptation com-
pared to local cultivars.
Côte d’Ivoire has successfully
produced 5400 seednuts of six
selected hybrids and shipped them to
the designated trial sites of the other
participating countries. At least 150
seednuts each of the four selected
local varieties have been produced
and sown in  the  nursery of  the
research facilities for the six
participating countries.
In Mexico, assisted pollinations were
made for the production of seednuts
from four Dwarf x Tall hybrids. Nine
hundred seednuts were also received
from the Marc Delorme Station in
Côte d’Ivoire. Ninety palms of
Latin America/Caribbean and
African Countries to Promote
Sustainable Coconut Production
CFC-funded Project: Coconut Germplasm Utilization and Conservation to
Promote Sustainable Coconut Production in Selected South American and
African Countries
MAYPAN hybrids have been planted
in the nursery. They were watered
and fumigated to control the
Helminthosporium halodes fungus, and
are now on quarantine and
germination beds. Two trial sites
have been identified.
In Benin, seven imported hybrids
from Côte d’Ivoire, and three local
ones have been sown and
germinated. They are expected to be
transplanted to the field in May 2000.
Six hybrids imported from Côte
d’Ivoire and four local varieties were
sown and germinated in Brazil and
Jamaica, respectively. The field trial
sites have been identified. In
Tanzania, production of seednuts
from five local crosses (by hand
pollination) was conducted at the
Chambezi Research Station. The
Idete prison farm, situated in the
Morogoro region of the Kilombero
district, has been selected as a
suitable site for the hybrid trial. Soil
survey of the area was conducted to
assess the land suitability, which
included physical analysis (soil
texture and structure), moisture and
drainage. The soil samples will also
be subjected to chemical analysis.
Ongoing Projects
laboratories, and give a positive
impact on the overall collecting,
conservation and exchange of
coconut genetic resources, and on the
coconut improvement programmes
of the participating countries.
Furthermore, the embryo culture
technology for producing the high-
value Makapuno coconut has
improved tremendously, with
germination rate as high as 98%. This
could maximize the potential of
similar special coconut types to
benefit poor farmers in the
Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
Workshops were organized to
compare and exchange the results of
studies and make recommendations
to improve the collecting and
exchange of coconut genetic resources.
The 2nd  International Coconut
Embryo Culture Workshop was held
on 14 - 17 March 2000 at the Centro
de Investigacion Cientifica de
Yucatan (CICY), Mexico. Twenty
seven participants attended the
workshop, which included
researchers, project leaders from 17
countries and resource persons from
IPGRI, COGENT and collaborating
partner institutions.
The workshop was conducted to: 1)
review recent research on coconut
embryo culture and acclimatization
and upgrade protocols for increased
efficiency; 2) develop research and
development project proposals for
submission to appropriate donors;
and 3) strengthen research collabora-
t ion among the members of  the
Coconut Embryo Culture Project
Network.
Several decisions were made during
the workshop. After two years of
research on embryo culture, it was
concluded that the recovery of in vitro
plantlets can be raised to about 70%
using an upgraded protocol. A task
force was assigned to formulate it
into a Coconut Embryo Culture
Technoguide.
(Continued From Page 15)
Common Names for Coconut in the Philippines
Scientific Name Common Name
Cocos nucifera L. Niyog
Giragira
Lobi-lubi
Ngongot
Ongot
Punlaing
Source: Agroforestry Seeds Circular Supplement
COGENT 17
Partner Institutions
Centre de Coopération Internationale
en Recherche Agronomique pour le
Développement (CIRAD) is a French
agricultural research institution that
specializes in agricultural research
and development in tropical and sub-
tropical countries. CIRAD’s research
centres are located in Montpellier,
Guadeloupe, French Guiana,
Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia,
Réunion, and the French Polynesia.
CIRAD’s mandate is to contribute to
the rural development through
research, experimentation, training
operations in France and abroad, and
scientific and technical information.
Its operations include agronomic,
veterinary, forestry and agrifood
research. CIRAD’s team works
within national organizations, or as
technical support in development
operations, in over 90 countries in
Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin
America and Europe. It has a staff of
1800 including 900 senior staff.
CIRAD has seven scientific depart-
ments, namely: 1) agronomy, envi-
ronmental and natural resources
management (Ager); 2) plant biology
and breeding (Micap); 3) crop protec-
tion (Midec); 4) animal production
(Mipa); 5) technology (Mitech); 6)
social sciences (Mes); and 7) applied
mathematics and biometrics (Biom).
There are 28 research programmes in
seven departments, which include
annual crop; tree crops; fruit and
horticultural crops; animal produc-
tion and veterinary medicine;
forestry; territories, environment and
people; and advanced methods for
innovation in science.
The CIRAD-CP (tree crops) component
is divided into five programmes,
namely, cocoa, coffee, coconut,
rubber and oil palm. The objectives
of those programmes are to:
• analyze the operating mechanisms
within the commodity chains and
assist stakeholders in decision-
making for production, production
organization, primary processing of
raw materials and marketing;
• design environment-friendly
production strategies; alternatives
to deforestation, intercropping,
IPM, and rational fertilization; and
• analyze quality chains and
improve post-harvest operations,
primary processing and end-
products.
The Coconut Programme focuses its
research on improving crop
productivity and producer incomes,
establishing an integrated control of
lethal decay diseases, and
diversifying the outlets for coconut.
The objectives are to: 1)  increase
coconut productivity, particularly on
smallholdings; 2) restore the
competitiveness of copra, the main
source of vegetable oil in producing
countries and the principal source of
lauric oil; 3) keep coconut in the
traditional growing zones for its
food, economic and cultural value,
and to develop alternative outlets for
smallholders; and 4) prevent the risk
of coconut disappearing from regions
affected by lethal decay diseases.
Centre de Coopération
Internationale en Recherche
Agronomique pour le
Développement (CIRAD)
Publications
Farmer Participatory
Research on Coconut
Diversity: Workshop
Report on Methods and
Field Protocols
The contents of this publication
include the presentations,
discussions and field protocols
produced at the Workshop on Farmer Participatory
Research on Coconut Diversity held in Davao,
Philippines on 16 - 28 March 1998 and Taveuni, Fiji
on 24 - 28 March 1998. The results of the follow-up
workshops held in the Solomons and Bangladesh are
also included. This publication provides
documentation of a work in progress. It is intended
for use in the field by coconut scientists and
development specialists in carrying out participatory
field research with farmers. It is also hoped that this
publication will stimulate similar efforts to tap local
knowledge of coconut diversity to solve the problems
of small-scale farmers.
For copies of the publication, please contact:
Hanim Shukor
Communication Assistant
International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)
P.O. Box 236
UPM Post Office
43400, Serdang
Malaysia
Tel: 603 - 894 23891
Fax: 603 - 894 87655
Email: s.hanim@cgiar.org
Farmer’s Assessment of
Coconut Varieties in Kerala
The small-scale coconut farmers
manage and use coconut genetic
resources in a wide range of
environ-ments for diverse
purposes. Farmers are
particularly familiar with a range
of locally adapted cultivars that
provide multiple products and innumerable benefits
to low income farm households. Documentation of
these varieties in a farmer participatory research
process is imperative to identify valuable genetic
resources. This publication is one of the results of this
farmer participatory research, which was conducted
in Kerala, India. This publication will be made
available to the coconut farmers of Kerala and to the
coconut research institutions in India. It is hoped that
the institutions will use the knowledge found in the
book to improve coconut farm productivity and
enhance the incomes of the Indian coconut farmers.
For more information about the publication, please
contact:
P. K. Thampan
President
Peekay Tree Crops Development Foundation
MIG 141, Gandhi Nagar
Cochin 682 020
India
Tel: 91 (484) 319271
Fax: 91-484-311393
Email: baburaj@md2.vsnl.net.in
Copies of the ‘Farmer’s Assessment of Coconut
Varieties in Kerala’ (English and Malayalam) are also
available at the COGENT Secretariat.
COGENT 18
COGENT Databases
The Coconut Literature Infobase
(CLI) project identifies, sources,
documents and disseminates
publications and information on
completed and ongoing researches
on coconut in national, regional and
global programmes.
At present, the printed materials
available are grouped into: 1) reprints;
2) published books; 3) reports; and 4)
COGENT publications. The reprints
are divided into five specific subjects:
genetic resources and breeding; pests
and diseases; research, production and
product diversification; coconut-based
farming system and biotechnology.
CLI is available in the Endnote
programme, a software for electronic
library system (information on this
software is available at
www.niles.com). With Endnote, one
can browse and search for the
available materials using keywords,
authors and titles. The location of a
copy of the material is also available
in the reference since some of the
materials may only be available in
the library of other organizations or
institutions.
COGENT’s request for materials on
coconut is sent regularly to country
coordinators, project leaders, partner
organizations and institutions. Among
the items frequently requested are
annual reports, articles about coconut
in journals, list of articles written by
coconut researchers with complete
literature citations, and newsletters that
publish articles on coconut.
Presently, there are 348 reprints, 40
published books, 95 journals and seven
COGENT publications available. The
member countries that have submitted
materials include China, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand,
Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Fiji,
Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Vanuatu,
Solomon Islands, Samoa, Côte d’Ivoire,
Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Cuba,
Jamaica and Mexico. Contributions
from other countries are welcome.
A list of published and unpublished
articles and other reference information
will be provided to coconut researchers
worldwide either through print or
electronic media regularly. This will be
done in collaboration with the infor-
mation units of IPGRI, BUROTROP
and APCC. The Infobase is set up in
IPGRI – APO regional office in Serdang,
Malaysia.
Farmers’
Varieties and
Multipurpose
Uses of the
Coconut
Database
Farmers’ Varieties and Multipurpose
Uses of the Coconut Database is an
important documentation approach
towards public awareness and
information sharing in the
conservation of coconut genetic
resources. The database documents
farmers’ knowledge through farmer
participatory research surveys
conducted under the IFAD-funded
project,  ‘Sustainable Use of Coconut
Genetic Resources to Enhance
Incomes and Nutrition of Coconut
Smallholders in the Asia-Pacific
Region’. Fourteen countries in the
Southeast and East Asia, South Asia
and the South Pacific regions are
involved in this project.
At present, data submitted through
the semi-annual and annual reports
by the countries are being documented
into an Excel sheet according to the
frames identified by a task force.
Among the frames are: 1) the local
names of farmers’ varieties; 2) origin
of variety; 3) location of variety; 4)
common uses of the palm parts; and
5) farmers’ overall ranking of the
importance of the variety. Further
inputs will be required directly from
the project collaborators for any
missing data.
The IFAD-funded project database
will be made available to coconut
researchers and other interested
parties through the COGENT
website.
Coconut Literature
Infobase (CLI)
For inquiries or list of bibliography, please contact:
Hanim Shukor
Communication Assistant
International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)
P.O. Box 236
UPM Post Office
43400, Serdang
Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: 603 - 8942 3891
Fax: 603 - 8948 7655
Email: s.hanim@cgiar.org
COGENT 19
ADB - and IFAD - funded
Project Annual Meetings
The annual meetings for the ADB- and IFAD-funded projects,
specifically for the 10 participating South Pacific countries,
will be held back-to-back on 26 - 30 June 2000 in Apia, Samoa,
while the meetings for the 10 Asian countries will be held
back-to-back on 10 - 15 July 2000 in Manila, Philippines.
The third annual meeting of the ADB - funded project
entitled “Coconut Genetic Resources Strengthening in
Asia and the Pacific (Phase 2)” will review the 1999/2000
accomplishments and 2000/2001 proposed work plans of
the 20 participating countries involved in coconut
projects.  Progress reports on the human resource
development component will also be presented, together
with reports on the biotechnology and embryo culture
components. Three host countries will also report on the
activities of the International Coconut Genebank (ICG).
The third annual meeting for the IFAD-funded project
entitled, “Sustainable Use of Coconut Genetic Resources for
Enhancing the Income and Nutrition of Smallholders in Asia
and the Pacific” will review the 3-year accomplishments of
the 14 countries involved in the project which will end in
August 2000. Reports will be presented on farmer
participatory research to promote multipurpose uses of the
coconut, identify suitable varieties for these uses, and to
apply these findings in strategies for coconut germplasm
conservation. Reports will also be presented on projects for
increasing income from coconut-based farming.
The project leaders of both the ADB- and IFAD-funded
projects, donors and representatives from IPGRI and
partner institutions will attend the two meetings.
International Coconut
Genebank Workshop
The International Coconut Genebank Workshop will be held
on 17-18 July 2000 in Kasaragod, India. COGENT is estab-
lishing a multi-site International Coconut Genebank (ICG) in
each of the five geographical regions. The host countries
include Indonesia for the Southeast and East Asia, India for
South Asia, Papua New Guinea for the South Pacific and Côte
d’Ivoire for Africa and the Indian Ocean. Negotiations are
underway for Brazil to host the ICG for Latin America and
the Caribbean. The meeting will review the progress of work
on the establishment of each ICG in the host countries, and
related ongoing research projects and work plans, and
budgets for the next seven years. The workshop will be hosted
by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI)
with funding from ADB, IFAD and IPGRI/COGENT.
9th Steering
Committee Meeting
The COGENT Steering Committee (SC) determines
programme priorities and oversees the various COGENT
activities. The SC comprises of ten representatives from
COGENT’s 35 member countries, i.e. two each from the
five subnetworks, namely; Southeast Asia, South Asia,
South Pacific, Africa and the Indian Ocean, and Latin
America and the Caribbean. The COGENT Coordinator
acts as an ex-officio member. The APCC, represented by
the Executive Director, is a non-voting member.
The 9th SC Meeting will be held on 20 – 22 July 2000 in
Kasaragod, India. The SC members and representatives
from partner institutions will  attend the meeting.
Specifically, the meeting will review progress of the five
COGENT regional networks, projects and activities in
COGENT, IPGRI and collaborating partner institutions.
It will also discuss the COGENT Work and Action Plan
for the Year 2000 and draft plan for Year 2001. The meeting
will be funded by IPGRI/COGENT.
International Coconut
Conference (ICC)
The International Coconut Conference (ICC) will be held
from 24 - 28 July 2000 in Chennai, India, within the ambit
of the APCC XXXVII COCOTECH Meeting. The conference
will be hosted by the Government of India through the
Coconut Development Board.
The conference will review the performance of the various
sectors of the coconut industry to identify problems and
opportunities to be addressed in the new millennium. The
conference’s recommendations will be used as a guide
in developing project proposals to address priority
activities. The conference will be jointly sponsored by the
APCC, BUROTROP and IPGRI/COGENT.
Coconut Embryo Culture
Training Course
A Hands-on Coconut Embryo Culture Training Course will
be held on 2 - 6 October 2000 in Albay, Philippines. The course
will teach project leaders from COGENT member countries
the upgraded and standardized embryo culture technology
to enable them to exchange germplasm in the form of embryo-
derived in vitro seedlings. The training course will be hosted
by the Albay Research Centre of the Philippine Coconut
Authority and funded by ADB, DFID and IPGRI/COGENT.
COGENT Bulletin Board
COGENT 20
COGENT Bulletin Board
An international workshop on coconut
mite was held at the Coconut Research
Institute (CRI), Sri Lanka from 6  - 8
January 2000. The objectives of the
workshop were to: 1) review the
current knowledge on mites; 2)
formulate a research programme and;
3) alert the other Asian and Pacific
countries on the possible threat of mites
in their countries.
Six participants from India, three
foreign experts and several local
scientists attended the workshop.
The programme consisted of five in-
house sessions and a field tour to the
infested area. The Secretary of the
Ministry of Plantation Industries in
Sri Lanka graced the inaugural
session. It was followed by the
presentation of country reports by Sri
Lanka and India.
International Workshop on Coconut Mite
(Aceria Gurreronis)
Paper presenters included Dr. Dave
Moore, CABI Bio Science, UK; Prof.
Thomas Perring, University of
California, USA; Prof. G. de Moraes,
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil and
Dr. R.I. Cabrera, Cuba. Their papers
reviewed the current knowledge on
non-chemical control methods and
use of the fungus H.  thompsonii for
the control of  mites, use of predatory
mites in the control of eriophyid mites,
and considerations in applied
ecological research of eriophyid mites.
The final session saw the discussion on
identifying research priorities and
recommendations, which included, the
biology and ecology of A. guerreronis,
crop loss assessments chemical control,
and use of pathogens and predators in
the control of the pest were identified.
The participants recommended that
the research priorities are addressed
urgently and a collaborative research
programme especially between India
and Sri Lanka with assistance from
the foreign experts should be
undertaken. It was also decided that
international funding should be
sought for such a programme. The
final activity of the workshop was the
field tour to the infested area.  This
provided the participants an
opportunity to be enlightened on the
nature of the outbreak in Sri Lanka.
The workshop was funded by the
CRI and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP).
Priyanthie Fernando, Workshop
Coordinator, Coconut Research
Institute, Sri Lanka.
This newsletter is published twice a year by the
International Coconut Genetic Resources Network
(COGENT).
For more information or order requests, please contact:
International Coconut Genetic Resources Network (COGENT)
International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)
Regional Office for Asia, the Pacific and Oceania
P.O Box 236, UPM Post Office
Serdang, 43400
Malaysia
Tel: (603) 8942 3891  Fax: (603) 8948 7655
Email: ipgri-apo@cgiar.org
The views and opinions expressed in the publication do not
necessarily reflect those of COGENT.
Articles may be reproduced with prior permission from
COGENT.
Readers are welcome to write
about issues affecting the coconut.
Readers are also encouraged to
respond directly to the writers
or through the COGENT Newsletter.
Selected letters will be featured
in each issue.
Below is a message from Mr. Vo Van Long (Vietnam). You are invited
to send your response either to Mr. Vo or the COGENT Secretariat.
From: Oil Plant Institute of Vietnam
[SMTP:opi.vn@hcm.vnn.vn]
To: Dr. Pons Batugal
Subject: Coconuthispine beetle has caused damage for coconut
in Vietnam
Dear Dr. Pons,
A new problem for coconut in Viet Nam has appeared, that is
Coconuthispine beetle (COLEOPTERA, CHRYSOMELIDAE,
OXYCEPHALA/BRONTISPA). According to Plant Protection
Department of Ben Tre Province, this pest has appeared first in April
1999 with about 600 damaged coconuts but till now, 20,000 coconut
trees have been recorded to be damaged by Coconuthispine beetle.
This kind of pest has also been observed in many other coconut
growing provinces of the country and estimation of its damages has
still not been done.
At present, we still have not had effective method to treat/control
this pest. Please give us your valuable advice so that we can
stop the damage of this Coconuthispine beetle.
 
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
 
With best regards.
 
V.V.Long
Country Coordinator, Vietnam