Coconut Research Institute Repository

Fernando, M.T.N.

Jayalath, K.V.N.N.

Wasala, W.L.M.S.J.

Subasinghe, S.D.J.N.

Local coir industry analysis

Gunathilaka, H.A.J.

INTERCROPPING OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN 
COCONUT LANDS 
The success of intercropping depends on 
the favourable conditions prevail in the 
coconut lands. The popularly known 
intercrops under coconut are Pepper, 
Coffee, Pineapple and Banana. Apart from 
these crops Rambutan, Cinnamon and 
Cashew are also popular intercrops under 
coconut 
In the recent past, use of indigenous 
medicines are receiving more and more 
popularity locally. Most important 
medicinal plants are Tippili, Komarika, 
Katuwelbatu, Egurupiyali, Senehekola, 
Aswaganda, Irriweriya, Polpala, Ratnitol, 
Kapukinissa, Amukkara and Adathoda. 
The continuous indiscriminate exploitation 
of these plants from the natural forest 
resulted not only some of these species 
are at the verge of extinction but also 
some are identified as endangered 
species. To meet the increasing local 
demand for the quality medicinal drugs 
and the difficulties in the local supply due 
to the scarcities of these plants, we are 
H A J Gunathilaka 
Coconut Research Institute 
Lunuwila, Sri Lanka 
forced to import them. During the import 
most of these drugs loss their actual 
medicinal values and qualities, because of 
the improper packaging and long delays in 
transport. 
The Coconut Research Institute initiated 
research programmes to overcome these 
problems by selecting several important 
species of medicinal plants for cultivation 
under coconut. The results observed from 
these programmes were promising. 
Tippli, Komarika, Adathoda, Egurupiyal 
and Ratnitol are recommended for the wet 
zone under coconut. On the other hand 
Katuwelbatu, Senehekola, Kapukinissa, 
and Amukkara are suitable for 
intermediate and intermediate wet zones. 
The details of cultural practices and yields 
are given below in the table land 2 
respectively. 
Table 1 Various cu tural practices adopted during 
Name Spacing 
(cm) 
Density 
plants/ha. 
Parts/ used 
for medicine 
Age/maturity Remarks 
Tippili 7 5 x 7 5 11,700 Stem cuttings 4-12 months Prefer shade 
Rathnitol 6 0 x 6 0 18,000 Stem cuttings One year Shade tolerant 
Igurupiyali 6 0 x 4 5 24,000 Rhizome One year Shade tolerant 
Komarika 5 0 x 3 0 44,000 Leaf 8 months to Shade tolerant 
Adathoda 5 0 x 3 0 12,000 Stem cuttings 
2-3 years 
8 months to Shade tolerant 
Katuwelbatu 45 x 15 95,000 Seeds 
more years 
6 months to Need more sunlight 
Ammukkara 60 x30 36,000 Seeds 
one year 
6 months to Need more sunlight 
Senehekola 6 0 x 3 0 36,000 Seeds 
one year 
6 months to 
one year 
Need more sunlight 
intercropping of medicinal plants 
Source : Agronomy division - C.R.I. 
24 
Table 2: Yields, parts used as medicine and medicinal values 
Name Parts/medicinal Yield/plant Yield/ ha/yr. Medicinal Medicinal 
value (g) (kg) products value in % 
( 1 s t year) 
Tippili Pods (Dried) 32 379 Pyperic 0.8 
Rathnitol Roots (Dried) 87 564 Sprit 23.0 
Igurupiyal Rhizome 45 1084 Votatile oil 8.7 
(Dried) 
Aloe vera Leaves (Dried) 1145 50380 Fresh sprite 2.2 
Adathoda Whole plant 133 1590 Votaltile oil 
(Dried) 
Katuwelbatu Whole plant 10 960 Alkaloides 0.8 
(Dried) 
Ammukkara Roots (Dried) 15 547 Alkaloides 0.3 
Senehekola Leaves (Drived) 2 47 Senocides 1.2 
Source : Agronomy Division - C. R.I. 
Note 
a) 
b) 
Planting should be carried out in 
raised beds, in the coconut square. 
Leave space for infrastructure 
development and two meters width 
of space from each base of 
coconut palms. The spacing varies 
with the soil and the plant habits. 
I. Preparation of weed free land 
is very important. 
II. Planting should be carried out 
with the on set of rains. 
III. As a basal dressing add 10 kg 
of cow dung and 500g of 
concentrated superphospate 
per coconut square. 
IV. Apply 10 kg of cow dung and 
one kg of urea once in three 
months. 
Example: 
a. Tippili - Harvest the matured pods 
and sun dry. 
b. Rathnitol - Up root 8-12 months old 
plants and prune the shoots. Sun 
dry the roots which is used for 
medicinal purposes. 
c. Comarika - Harvest matured 
leaves and extract the spirit (Juice) 
by mechanical crushing. 
d. Ingurupiyal - Harvest the rhizome 
when the plant is 8-12 months old. 
Sun dry the harvested rhyzomes. 
e. Katuwelbatu - uproot 5 months old 
plant and sundry. 
VII. Some medicinal plants thrive well 
in special soil types. 
Ex: Komarika I Well drained boralu soil 
Rathnitol I Sandy loam soil 
V. No major pests or diseases 
observed. 
VI. The method of harvesting and 
processing of the products 
varies according to the plant. 
VIII. Large scale commercial medicinal 
plants could be undertaken based 
on the market and the 
demand. 
25 


Intercropping of medicinal plants in coconut lands

Bandaranayake, C.K.

Genome mapping of Arabidopsis thaliana and Cocos nucifera

Importance and current status of coconut germplasm conservation programme in Sri Lanka

Perera, L.

Fernando, U.

DECISION MAKING IN REPLANTING OF 
COCONUT 
Rejuvenation at the proper stage 
when a plantation attains senility, is a 
basic requirement of any plantation 
crop in order to maximise 
profit from a given land 
area. However, it is an 
exception in the coconut 
sector that growers are 
reluctant to uproot a 
palm even when it 
attains senility and 
becomes less 
productive. This is due to 
the fact that coconut has 
a long juvenile phase 
and therefore the benefit 
from coconut takes long 
time. However the 
knowledge of effective 
way of carrying out the replacement of 
senile coconut plantation is very 
important to maximize profit and 
minimize problems related to 
replacement. Therefore, our aim here 
is to provide farmers with background 
information underlying in replacing a 
senile coconut plantation in order for 
them to take their own decisions in 
replacing an old coconut plantation. 
It is established that re-planting i.e. 
complete removal of old coconut 
palms before new seedlings are 
planted, is agronomically superior 
method in replacing a senile coconut 
plantation. This results in early 
flowering, early bearing, and an 
uniform plantation compare to the 
under-planting system. In this system 
new seedlings are planted among the 
old-stand that is removed in stages 
over a period of 5-6 years. However, 
Lalith Perera' and W.M. Ursla Fernando 2 
'Geneticist/ Plant Breeder, 
2
 Former Principal Geneticist/Plant Breeder 
Coconut Research Institute, Lunuwila, 
Sri Lanka. 
cig 1 A replantation, where old palms are removed completely before planting seedlings 
when economical factors are taken in 
to consideration, the continuous 
income from the old palms until the 
new palms bear, is an advantage in 
under-planting especially for the small 
holders. Therefore, even though most 
of the coconut growers are aware that 
re-planting is superior to under-
planting with respect to the 
performance of the new plantation, the 
under-planting system is still the 
routine practice (Diagnostic survey of 
CRI, 1994). Therefore, growers who 
prefer under-planting should 
judiciously decide when to replace 
their palms. Most under-plantations 
become unsuccessful because they 
are carried out at the inappropriate 
stage. When a plantation is incorrectly 
taken for under-planting based on low 
productivity for example when what is 
actually necessary is rehabilitation, the 
old stand tends to show yield 
improvement due to the care and 
maintenance given to the newly 
planted seedlings (i.e. application of 
organic and inorganic fertilizer, soil 
moisture conservation practices and 
irrigation etc.). This situation makes 
the grower reluctant to remove the old 
Fig 2. An underplantation where seedlings are 
planted under the old stand 
stand as per the recommendation. 
This is detrimental to the young under 
planted seedlings due to the excessive 
shade from the old stand and too 
much of competition from the old stand 
for limited resources of soil moisture 
and nutrition resulting in an 
unproductive, weak and uneven under­
plantation. The occurrence of such 
plantations is very common and most 
often these under-plantations need 
complete replacement after several 
years. The diagnostic survey 
conducted by the Coconut Research 
Institute in 1994 revealed that 86.3% 
of the growers in the sample dropped 
out the coconut replanting subsidy 
scheme at the third installment stage 
due to their reluctance in removing the 
old stand. 
If the correct stage of replacement of 
coconut plantation is identified, the 
problems related to under-planting can 
be minimized and also maximum 
return from old stand can be obtained. 
The economic life span of coconut is 
generally considered as 60 years and 
therefore plantations, which have 
attained 60 years, can be considered 
for replacement. However, depending 
on the genetic potential of a particular 
coconut plantation, the soil type in 
which the palms are grown and level of 
management carried out in the past, 
the economic life span of coconut 
may vary from 60 years to 80 years 
or more. Therefore considering the 
age of palms alone in making 
decision in replacing a coconut 
plantation seems inappropriate. 
The national average yield of 
coconut is 40/nuts/palm/year. 
Considering the cost and benefits of 
coconut planting, it is economically 
not viable to maintain a plantation if it 
fails to produce at least 2400 
nuts/ha/year. However, decline in 
yield may be observed in plantations 
that are even below 60 years due to 
reasons such as long-term negligence 
and continuous exposure to adverse 
conditions (i.e. severe drought). If the 
yield decline is not due to senility, 
those palms are able to revive if 
improved management practices are 
followed. Therefore plantations of this 
nature should be carefully 
distinguished from old plantations and 
should be considered for rehabilitation. 
In case if under-planting were 
practiced in such lands, revival of the 
senile plantation would be obvious 
before long. Therefore considering 
yield alone is also not adequate in 
decision making for replacing senile 
plantation. 
Consequently the two factors, the age 
and the yield both should be 
considered together in deciding when 
to replace an old stand. If the 
plantation is over 60 years and is 
producing less than 2400 nuts/ha/year, 
replanting could be under taken. If the 
plantation is senile, any management 
practices adopted to the young 
> 
plantation may not revive the old 
stand. The factors such as the height 
of the old palms that makes picking 
difficult, existing number of vacancies 
and severity of drought damage or 
damage due to long-term negligence 
can also be considered along with the 
age and yield in deciding when to 
replace old plantation effectively. 
Planting should be carried out in a 
manageable area (i.e. 5-10 ha in a 50 
ha estate) considering the resources 
available including the human 
resources and the infrastructure of the 
estate. If labour is not available for 
pest and disease inspections, 
weeding, mulching etc. and facilities 
are not available for irrigation during 
long drought, it is often better not to 
undertake re-planting or under-planting 
in large extents. Moreover, if a large 
area is already planted and is still in 
the seedling stage, it is worth 
concentrating on those plantations first 
until they are properly established 
before undertaking any more new 
planting. Planting in unmanageable 
areas often reports high casualty rates 
leading to replacement of seedlings 
over and over again. In the process of 
evaluating the staff of the estates, 
considerations should be given not 
only to the extent of planting but also 
to the rate of success of the planting 
programmes undertaken. 
Filling of vacancies in coconut 
plantations may not be desirable after 
5 years from establishment, as 
excessive shading from already 
planted seedlings tend to retard the 
growth of the newly planted seedlings 
vacancy filling should be done with the 
onset of monsoon in order to get 
maximum survival of seedlings. Within 
the first 5 years of establishment and 
in each monsoon, weak seedlings also 
should be identified and replaced with 
vigorous seedlings in order to obtain a 
uniform plantation. 
In bare-root seedlings, roots are 
damaged when removed them from 
the nursery and as a result, their water 
absorption ability is suspended 
temporarily. In contrast, there is 
minimum root damage when planting 
polybagged seedlings. Therefore 
polybagged seedlings establish well 
and grow vigorously in the field 
compared to bare-root seedlings and 
moreover, chances of survival of them 
in the field during rain free period are 
also comparatively high. Due to these 
facts, it is economical to adopt planting 
polybagged seedlings in replanting 
programmes despite of their relatively 
high cost. 
Training for Coconut Growers 
This is a rare opportunity for coconut 
growers to enhance their knowledge and 
skills on coconut cultivation and other 
practices. Seven one day training 
programmes are annually conducted on 
the following areas. 
1. Planting of coconut. 
2. Soil and moisture conservation. 
3. Application of fertilizer. 
4. Intercropping under coconut. 
5. Pest and disease control. 
6. Rehabilitationa of low yielding palms. 
7. Basics of coconut estate principles 
management and labour managemet. 
Those who are interested in these training 
programmes may contact: Director, 
Coconut Research Institute, 
Lunuwila 
3 


Decision making in replanting of coconut

Bandaranayaka, C.K.

IMPORTANCE AND CURRENT STATUS OF THE 
COCONUT GERMPLASM CONSERVATION 
PROGRAMME IN SRI LANKA 
Conservation of threatened 
biodiversity is gaining its recognition 
and becoming more and more 
important in a rapidly changing world. 
During the recent past, major changes 
have occurred in the field of plant 
genetic resources conservation. 
Perhaps the most important change 
caused due to increased awareness is 
that the loss of biodiversity will directly 
affect the life on earth. The 
establishment of gene pools and the 
conservation of genetic resources are 
basic to crop improvement. Hence, 
maintenance of large assemblage of 
genetic diversity is a vital aspect since 
crop improvement objectives change 
over t ime and it is difficult to predict the 
future needs accurately. 
Being a perennial crop with a 
persistent capacity for sexual 
reproduction, coconut gene pools 
serve in two ways; as a collection for 
breeder's work and as a base 
collection for conservation. Despite the 
necessity, it is very important to the 
country because there are original 
populations native to areas, which has 
not being subjected for any artificial 
selection. Therefore, a great possibility 
exists that these populations consist of 
genes or hereditary material 
responsible for smooth production over 
time in a specific area. 
During the recent past there had been 
tremendous genetic erosion 
(permanent loss of hereditary material) 
in coconut due to urbanization and 
industrialization that took place in the 
C K Bandaranayaka 
Geneticist/Plant Breeder, 
Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka. 
major coconut growing areas of the 
country. The main causes for the loss 
are land fragmentation, replanting with 
improved material, the use of coconut 
palms as timber and natural disasters 
such as drought and cyclones. The 
conservation of endemic coconuts 
prior to replanting is considered of 
utmost importance. Therefore, a 
programme for systematic 
conservation of the native coconuts is 
a timely need to protect the existing 
populations. Even by now some of the 
valuable genetic material might have 
been lost forever and coconut genetic 
diversity could have been narrowed. If 
this continues further, one day the 
coconut breeding programme will face 
a severe crisis due to unavailability of 
superior genetic material with a wider 
genetic diversity, when trying to 
achieve future necessities of the 
industry. 
Almost all the coconut collections are 
beset with problems emanating f rom 
the lack of a systematic classification. 
The present system of classification, 
i.e. dwarfs and tall is widely accepted 
for coconut and it is purely based on 
speed of germination, t ime taken for 
flowering, breeding behavior and other 
morphological characters. Having 
identified local accessions and means 
by which they can be distinguished, 
the genetic make-up of the coconut 
populations island-wide could 
therefore be identified and can be 
used for a systematic classification in 
16 
the future. The same procedure can be 
used for foreign material as well. 
Hence, particular emphasis is placed 
on the heed to conserve the original 
germplasm without restricting to either 
short term use of the collection, as a 
source of pollen for commercial hybrid 
production, or the long term use for 
fundamental breeding studies and 
systematic classification of coconut. 
The programme of collection and 
conservation of coconut germplasm 
was initiated in 1994 under an ADB 
funded project. The genetic material at 
risk i.e. the populations which are 
threatened due to senile plantations, 
land blocking, replanting etc. were 
collected by random sampling from 
locations decided on geographical 
distribution. The putative drought 
tolerant material from drought affected 
areas where annual rainfall is below 
1000mm and are subjected to frequent 
droughts leading to genotypes for 
drought tolerance were collected as 
biased collections. All these material 
are now being conserved in ex-situ 
gene banks of the CRI. 
The Coconut Research Institute 
initiated a systematic collection and 
conservation of coconut germplasm on 
1984. Initial countrywide surveys were 
undertaken in 1986/87 to locate 
populations having different 
characters; Priority was given to 
drought tolerant material as changing 
weather patterns have caused severe 
losses in coconut production. This 
provided a good opportunity for 
identifying palms, which withstood the 
drought at least to some degree. 
Financial and manpower constraints 
brought this programme to an abrupt 
halt in 1990. However as a result of 
the said programme, 23 different 
accessions which are believed to be 
genetically different have been 
collected and established in two 
different locations (Bandirippuwa 
Estate and Pottukulama Research 
Station) of the country. 
A systematic field evaluation of nine 
promising germplasm accessions 
(Moorock, San Ramon, St. Anne's, 
Maliboda, Walahapit iya, Margaret, 
Debarayaya, Ambakelle Tall and 
Ambakelle Special) was commenced 
in 1994 at Nariyapotta Block, 
Andigama Farm, Giriulla. Open 
pollinated progenies from 15 randomly 
selected palms (of the selected lot for 
conservation) have been used to 
represent each population. The 
objective of this experiment was to 
evaluate and characterize these 
populations to examine whether they 
inherit desirable characters, which 
would be used in future breeding, and 
to estimate genetic parameters to 
develop suitable collection strategies. 
Pre-prospection, collection and 
recording of coconut germplasm is 
being carried out according to the 
guidelines of the International Plant 
Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI). 
Seed nuts collected are subjected to 
nut component analysis and the 
balance for nursery evaluation. 
Selected seedlings in the nursery are 
established in ex-situ conservation 
blocks. In these collections a brief 
description of the environment and the 
soil type from where sampling was 
carried out and morphological 
characters of the sampling population 
are recorded for future reference. 
There are altogether 11 ex-situ gene 
banks established by the CRI at 
different stages of the conservation 
programme. Six of which namely, 
Local Germplasm Block (LGB) 
established for conservation of seven 
indigenous tall coconut forms, Dwarf 
Palm Block (DPB) established for 
conservation of green, red and yellow 
dwarf coconut forms, Crop Museum 
17 
(CM) established as a collection of 13 
different varieties and forms of 
coconut, Dikiri Palm Block (DIPB) 
established by planting dikiri embryo 
cultured seedlings, Old Variety Block 
(OVB) planted with different forms of 
coconut at a very early stage of CRI 
and Kotakande Gene Bank (KGB) 
planted with presumably eight drought 
tolerant collections are located in the 
Bandirippuwa Estate, Lunuwila. The 
biggest gene bank at the Pottukulama 
Research Station (PRS) have 22 
accessions while Lenawa Gene Bank 
(LNGB, a sub station of the Coconut 
Cultivation Board (CCB) and 
Raddegoda Gene Bank (RGB, a 
private estate at Ridigama) hold 15 
and 14 accessions respectively. 
Pallama (PGB) the latest gene bank 
holds 12 accessions with room for 
more additions. Kohombana Gene 
Bank (KOGB) serves a different 
purpose, conservation of eight tall 
ecotypes, collected from populations 
almost reaching senility, in the dry 
zone or dry intermediate zone. 
Based on site information, the block-
wise parameters and the nursery 
evaluation data, material collected 
would be screened and systematic 
evaluation trials would be setup for the 
most promising accessions. Material 
suitable for utilization will be crossed 
with genetically improved material 
such as those at the Isolated Seed 
Garden at Ambakelle in order to 
exploit hybrid vigor and also to 
generate a wider genetic variability for 
second and subsequent generations of 
selection. Based on this hypothesis, 
four accessions specially identified as 
drought. tolerant (Kasagala, 
Debarayaya, Moorock, St. Anne's) has 
been used as pollen parents to cross 
with genetically improved Ambakelle 
Tall and the progeny now being 
evaluated with Ambakelle Special as 
the control. 
CRI has also ventured a programme to 
assess the diversity of coconut in the 
country by studying the variation of 
nucleic acids especially deoxyribose 
nucleic acid (DNA). This is the 
macromolecule, which carry all the 
genetic information over generations. 
As evident from morphological and 
molecular descriptors, the population 
structure of the coconut in Sri Lanka is 
very limited largely comprising 
commercial tall coconuts and dwarf 
and a Philippine type, San Ramon with 
somewhat different genetic 
constitution. The genetic variability 
existing between these sub 
populations has already being utilized 
for production of improved cultivars, 
CRIC65 (dwarf x tall) and CRISL98 
(tall x San Ramon). Therefore, 
chances of further genetic 
improvement with a substantial 
development with the existing 
germplasm is very remote unless our 
germplasm is enriched by introducing 
exotic varieties diverse origins. Three 
countries, India, Fiji and Ivory Coast 
have principally agreed to exchange 
germplasm with Sri Lanka and f rom 
these countries 23 varieties have been 
identified with specific traits (early 
bearing, high nut production, high 
copra outturn, high yield, drought 
tolerance, pest resistance etc.,) for 
importation. The only obstacle for 
importation of coconut is the risk of 
accidental introduction of diseases not 
prevalent in this country. CRI has 
developed in-vitro techniques for safe 
transfer of coconut planting material by 
way of embryos under strict quarantine 
conditions and as a results the 
Department of Agriculture has given 
the approval for the CRI to exchange 
coconut germplasm with other 
countries. 
18 


Importance and current status of the coconut germplasm conservation programme in Sri Lanka

Samarajeewa, S.R.

Recent trends in fresh coconut exports from Sri Lanka

Bandara, H.R.N.W.

Gunathilake, K.D.P.P.

Fonseka, T.S.G.

Preparation of beverages out of seasoned coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) Water

Fernando, L.C.P.

Moraes, de G.J.

Wickramananda, I.R.

Proceedings of the international workshop on coconut mite (Aceria guerreronis)

Efficacy of four botanical pesticides on three major pests of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.)

National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka

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