Coconut Research Institute Repository

Bandaranayake, C.K.

Kearsey, M.J.

QTL analysis in the Recombinant Inbred Lines derived from the Ler x Cvi cross of Arabidopsis thaliana

Samarajeewa, S.R.

An econometric analysis of the consumer demand for coconuts in Sri Lanka

Dharmakeerthi, P.G.B.S.

Ratnasiri, N.G.S.C.

Fernando, M.T.N.

A study on constraints in toddy production and marketing by registered toddy suppliers in Sri Lanka

Peiris, T.S.G.

Jayasinghe, F.

Gunathilake, H.A.J.

Pricing of seednuts produced by the Isolated Seed Garden (ISG) of Sri Lanka using an alternative approach

Coconut Research Institute

Jayasekera, C.

Somasiri, L.L.W.

Appuhamy, P.A.H.N.

Idirisinghe, I.M.S.K.

Report of the coconut research institute for 2002

Samarajeewa, A.D.

USE OF GLIRICIDIA AS AN ANIMAL 
FEED IN COCONUT LANDS 
A.D Samarajeewa 
Agronomist - Coconut Research Institute of 
Sri Lanka 
One of the major limitations for 
improvement of dairy under coconut is 
the poor quality of available natural 
grasses under coconut and the 
fluctuating feed supply due to bi-modal 
rainfall pattern. Feeding concentrates 
has become unprofitable due to the 
low farm gate price of milk in 
comparison to the cost of production. 
Therefore, emphasis should be given 
for low cost feeding systems with 
locally available feeds. The value of 
Gliricidia as an animal feed is 
important in the effort to develop low 
cost feeding systems. 
Gliricidia sepium, commonly known as 
Wetahiriya or Ginisiriya is a deep 
rooting medium sized multipurpose 
perennial which has the ability to fix 
atmospheric nitrogen, 
tolerate shade, and 
withstand repeated 
pruning. Gliricidia is well 
adapted to adverse 
conditions and grow well 
in wet as well as dry 
areas of the coconut 
triangle. It can also 
tolerate prolonged dry 
conditions and can 
withstand low fertile 
acidic and lateritic soils. 
Leaves, tender sterns 
J H and bark of Gliricidia are 
^ ' i i i ' ^ ^ g consumed by ruminants. 
As a result 77% of the 
biomass is edible leaving only 2 3 % 
matured stem inedible by ruminants. 
Gliricidia is such a useful source of 
feed, which can be effectively used to 
enhance the quality of the ration of 
farm animals. In order to discuss the 
possible ways of incorporating the 
quality of the manipulating low quality 
feeds with Gliricidia, it is important to 
have a clear idea about the digestion 
of fibrous feed in ruminant. 
D igest ion of f i b rous feeds in 
ruminan ts 
The digestion of fibrous feeds take 
place in the fore-stomach of the 
ruminants aided by microbes 
inhabiting the rumen. Thus the 
ruminants are able to convert 
roughage materials such as grass. 
19 
leaves of tree fodder into invaluable 
final products such as meat and milk 
with the help of microbes. Efficiency of 
digestion in the rumen depends on the 
level of activity of the microbes. The 
feed consumed therefore has to be 
nutrient rich for microbial growth. One 
of the factors that influence microbial 
activity in the rumen is rumen 
ammonia nitrogen concentration. 
When the animal eats more of poor 
quality feeds low in rumen degradable 
protein, rumen nitrogen concentration 
goes down and slows down the 
digestion making feeds remain for 
longer periods in the rumen. But, if 
feeds of poor quality can be 
supplemented with feedstuff rich in 
protein enhance the efficient the 
changes efficiency of digestion. 
Gliricidia is high quality forage, which 
meet the above requirement. 
Nutr i t ive va lue of Gliricidia 
Gliricidia has been identified as an 
excellent quality forage in many 
tropical countries due to its' nutritive 
value and chemical composition. 
Important characteristic of Gliricidia is 
the higher content of crude protein 
(20- 25%) that readily digests in the 
rumen. Gliricidia supplements the 
protein requirement of ruminants to a 
great extent. Further it is a good 
substitute for expensive protein 
supplements such as coconut meal, 
Soya bean meal etc. Dry matter and 
other nutrient digestibilities are higher 
in Gliricidia compared to other 
common tree fodders. But many 
farmers believe that feeding of 
Gliricidia results in "thin milk" or 
"watery milk". Thick or thinness of milk 
is decided by the amount of total solid 
in the milk, which depends on non-fat 
solubles such as lactose and casine. 
But according to research evidence, 
feeding of Gliricidia 0-100% in the 
ration of cattle does not alter the 
amount of butter fat or solid non-fat in 
milk. 
Gliricidia is low in sapponin and 
doesn't cause bloat in animals even an 
excessive amounts are fed. Research 
have shown that feeding of Gliricidia in 
higher proportion in the diet even at 
100% show no toxic effects. But there 
is evidence that inclusion of Gliricidia 
more than 50% in the ration results in 
"tainted" milk and therefore adding 
Gliricidia up to 5 0 % is safe and cause 
no adverse effects. 
Enhanc ing qual i ty of ra t ion w i t h 
supp lementa t ion of Gliricidia 
• Paddy straw (Preferably 
chopped) mixed with Gliricidia 
in 2:1 ratio on weight basis 
increases the feed intake 
forming a good dry season 
feed. 
• Mixing 4 % urea treated straw 
(e.g. dissolve 40g of urea in one 
liter of water) with Gliricidia 
lopping at the ratio of 3:1 on 
weight basis, is another good 
dry season feed. 
• Gliricidia foliage either mixed 
with Brachiria miliiformis / B. 
brizantha or natural grasses at 
the ratio of 1:1 (on weight basis) 
also enhances quality of the 
ration and increases the feed 
intake 
Estab l ishment of Gliricidia in 
c o c o n u t lands 
Coconut Research Institute has 
demonstrated the value of Gliricidia as 
an animal feed and how Gliricidia can 
be established in coconut lands 
without having adverse effect on 
coconut. Gliricidia can be planted in 
between coconut in double rows at the 
20 
s p a c i n g of 2m x 1m (2500 ha" 1 ) as a 
f o d d e r bank and along the fences. For 
smal lho ld ings it can be planted along 
t h e fences in 1m apart. It can be 
es tab l ished from seedlings or cuttings. 
I n intermediate and dry zones Gliricidia 
i s preferably establish from seedlings 
p lan ted in polythene bags after 
col lect ing seed. Planting should be 
commenced with the on set of rain and 
initial pruning should start at 1-1.5 m 
height. On an average 5-6 kg of leaf 
biomass (on fresh basis) could be 
obtained per plant per year. The study 
carried out in the Pannala AGA 
division revealed that planting Gliricidia 
in the fences of individual land 
holdings, 2m apart, and by using them 
as animal feed the milk production can 
be increased by 50%. 
DIKIRIPOL FOR YOUR LAND 
Dikiri pol is one of the special 
variet ies of coconut found in Sri Lanka. 
T h e nuts are generally heavy. When 
tapped on the nut, dikiri gives a low 
dul l thud. The kernel of the dikiri nut is 
thicker than that of a normal nut. It is 
soft and is a jelly like mass, filling 
almost the entire cavity of the nut. The 
kernel is suitable for production of 
various sweets. The nut water is thick 
and is an oily substance. Due to its 
special characteristics and scarcity, 
dikiri nuts are expensive. 
Dikiri is mainly found in the Southern 
Province of the island especially in the 
Denipitiya and Weligama areas. The 
production is limited to 1-2 dikiri nuts 
per bunch per palm. Furthermore, 
under natural condition dikiri nuts do 
not germinate. Hence, propagation of 
dikiri is difficult. 
Therefore, Coconut Research Institute 
has launched a programme for a 
mass-production of dikiri plants using 
the embryo culture technology. The 
plants will be ready for distribution in 1-
2 years. However, a few dikiri 
seedlings have already been sold at a 
cost of Rs. 125.00 per seedling. 
Further information can be obtained 
from Director, Coconut Research 
Institute, Lunuwila. 
21 


Use of Gliricidia as an animal feed in coconut lands

Wijeratne, A.J.

Ranasinghe, C.S.

Mathes, D.T.

Quantification of vegetative, reproductive and physiological parameters of rapid decline-affected coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) palm

Happuarachchi, C.

A NOTE TO COCONUT GROWERS ON 
RED WEEVIL 
(Rhynchoplwrus ferrugine us) 
With ever-increasing incidence of the 
pest damage, Red Palm Weevil is the 
most devastating pest of coconut that 
every grower should be aware and 
distinguish from black beetle damage. 
Therefore, a list of symptoms that 
could be seen on the affected palm is 
very much needed in identifying this 
particular pest damage at an early 
stage. 
Red weevil, as the name itself 
denominates, is reddish brown in 
colour with a long curved snout. Male 
and female weevils are 
distinguishable, with the male having a 
tuft of hair on the snout and on its front 
pair of legs. In addition to coconut, 
date palm, royal palm, toddy palm etc. 
C. Happuarachch i 
Technica l Ass is tan t , C o c o n u t 
Research ins t i tu te , 
Lunuwi la , Sri Lanka 
are the other palms that are prone to 
Red Palm Weevil damage. 
Damage: The female beetle lays eggs 
in fresh wounds or injured parts of the 
coconut palm. Very often, young palms 
of age 4-20 years are susceptible to 
the pest attack but there are instances 
where even the older palms are 
damaged. In most cases these are 
palms, which are tapped for toddy, 
having injured inflorescences and 
trampled petioles. Generally, the Red 
Weevil does not concentrate on one 
particular region of the palm as in the 
case of the Black Beetle, where only 
the bud region is damaged. The 
damage could occur in the bole region, 
trunk or the bud region of the palm. 
In the bole and trunk damages, the 
eggs are laid on cuts or injuries as 
mentioned earlier. The injuries to the 
trunk or the leaf bases could happen in 
many ways. 
1. mechanical injuries by 
knives and mammoties to 
the t runk . 
2. drooping of fronds due to 
drought may cause injuries 
to the leaf bases. 
3. where there are under 
plantations, falling of nuts 
and fronds from tall palms 
13 
may cause injuries to the 
younger palms. 
4. tying of cattle to the palms 
would cause injuries to the 
leaf bases sometimes, as 
the cattle tend to pull fronds 
downwards thereby 
damaging the base of 
fronds. 
Usually splits or cracks on the bole 
region of healthy young palms are 
excellent places for the adult females 
to lay eggs. The light yellowish grubs 
with a red head, which hatch out from 
the eggs tunnel its way deeper into the 
trunk and feed on softer tissues in the 
trunk. As the grubs become older they 
construct cocoons with fibres of the 
tissues of the trunk which is oval in 
shape. The grub spends its pupal 
stage inside the cocoon and the pupa 
becomes an adult in about 12-15 days. 
The adult weevil, which spends about 
7-10 days of its adult life in the cocoon 
itself, comes out by cutting its way 
through the cocoon and making a hole 
on the trunk. Sometimes, the emerging 
female weevils may opt to start the 
second generation in the same palm 
itself, provided that there is sufficient 
nutrition for its offspring. 
But in the case of crown damage, the 
Black beetle very often causes the 
injuries on the crown, or bud rot 
disease, which is caused by a fungus, 
called Phytophthora palmivora. 
Subsequently, the tiny larvae hatching 
out of eggs, laid on the injuries find 
their way directly to the growing point 
or the heart tissue of the palm. Usually 
a damage caused to the growing point 
of coconut palm is fatal, it being a 
monocot. 
S y m p t o m s : Usually the Red Weevil 
damage is not visible until in the 
advanced stages. There are instances 
where the death of a palm could occur 
within a short spell of t ime even 
without exhibiting a single damage 
symptom. But there are certain 
indications of the presence of the pest, 
if closely examined. The yellowing or 
the wilting of the leaves in the upper 
and middle whorls of the crown is a 
first symptom that could be noted. This 
is due to the feeding of internal tissues 
by larvae. As the larvae bore into the 
tissues, the vascular bundles get 
damaged thereby obstructing the 
upward movement of water. As a 
consequence, the leaves turn yellow 
as if in drought affected palms. 
Also on closer examination, small 
circular holes with a brownish viscous 
liquid oozing out with a rotting smell 
could be noted on the trunk. In the 
advanced stages of the attack, 
emergence holes of the weevils could 
be seen on the crown and on leaf 
bases. There are instances, where 
chewed up fibres protrude out of these 
holes. If these symptoms are clearly 
shown, the gnawing sound inside the 
trunk could be heard sometimes by 
keeping one's ear on the trunk. This 
14 
sound is due to the grubs feeding 
inside the trunk. 
Pest Management 
Sani ta t ion: As mentioned in the text, 
Black Beetle is of prime importance in 
combating Red Weevil. Since injuries 
inflicted to the palm by Black Beetle 
may be excellent sites for the Red 
Weevil to lay eggs, Black Beetle 
should be kept under check in the 
plantation. This could be achieved by 
disposing of cowdung, coir dust heaps 
and decaying coconut logs which are 
main breeding sites of the Black 
Beetle. Also utmost care must be 
taken not to inflict any mechanical 
injuries on the palm, such as those 
with mammoties and knives. 
Therefore, all injuries on the trunk 
should be dressed with tar as a 
precautionary measure. It is important 
that the growers should have their 
young plantations inspected (palm by 
palm) at least once a week for any 
signs of Red Weevil attack. Any 
wounds visible should be dressed with 
used engine oil or coal tar and dried up 
fronds have to be cut from the very 
base with a sharp knife and tar has to 
be applied to the cut surface of the 
trunk. Especially during drought 
periods, ensure that all drooping 
fronds are cut from the very base as 
described above and the cut end 
treated with tar. So it is apparent that 
where there are no crevices or wounds 
in the palm, there would be no red 
weevil damages. 
C o n t r o l : If the presence of the pest is 
detected, administration of a systemic 
insecticide is the most effective 
method of control and 10 ml of the 
chemical, Monocrotophos 60%, is 
recommended to administer by trunk 
injection. This is usually done by 
making a hole through the fresh 
tissues on the trunk with the aid of a 
power or hand drill and injecting the 
chemical with a syringe. In order to 
avoid water seeping into the trunk, it is 
important that the hole is sealed with a 
cement mortar mixture 2-3 days after 
the chemical injection. 
A new technology has also been 
developed for reducing the Red Weevil 
population in the field. This is by way 
of chemical, a synthetic analogue of 
the aggregation pheromone produced 
by male weevils to attract weevils of 
both sexes. In this particular method, a 
trap with the pheromone is kept in the 
field to attract and trap the weevils. 
This new method of control now 
available to the growers through 
regional officers of Coconut Cultivation 
Board or directly from the Coconut 
Research Institute. 
Problems assoc ia ted w i t h pest 
management : The detection of the 
damage is rather difficult, since almost 
the entire life cycle of the weevil is 
spent inside the palm. The adult 
female, which flies from one locality to 
another, lives for a period of 76 days 
and lays about 275 eggs in its lifetime. 
The unique ability of the pest to 
complete its life cycle in the host plant, 
fly from one locality to another and to 
withstand adverse weather conditions 
make it even more difficult task to 
control it completely. 
Therefore, the growers should be 
vigilant, look for the pest as some 
times the pest or the symptoms could 
not be seen by a mere glance at the 
palm. Like for any other pest of 
coconut, awareness among growers is 
vital in combating Red Palm Weevil 
effectively. 
15 


A note to coconut growers on red weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus)

s p a c i n g of 2m x 1m (2500 ha" 1 ) as a 
f o d d e r bank and along the fences. For 
smal lho ld ings it can be planted along 
t h e fences in 1m apart. It can be 
es tab l ished from seedlings or cuttings. 
I n intermediate and dry zones Gliricidia 
i s preferably establish from seedlings 
p lan ted in polythene bags after 
col lect ing seed. Planting should be 
commenced with the on set of rain and 
initial pruning should start at 1-1.5 m 
height. On an average 5-6 kg of leaf 
biomass (on fresh basis) could be 
obtained per plant per year. The study 
carried out in the Pannala AGA 
division revealed that planting Gliricidia 
in the fences of individual land 
holdings, 2m apart, and by using them 
as animal feed the milk production can 
be increased by 50%. 
DIKIRIPOL FOR YOUR LAND 
Dikiri pol is one of the special 
variet ies of coconut found in Sri Lanka. 
T h e nuts are generally heavy. When 
tapped on the nut, dikiri gives a low 
dul l thud. The kernel of the dikiri nut is 
thicker than that of a normal nut. It is 
soft and is a jelly like mass, filling 
almost the entire cavity of the nut. The 
kernel is suitable for production of 
various sweets. The nut water is thick 
and is an oily substance. Due to its 
special characteristics and scarcity, 
dikiri nuts are expensive. 
Dikiri is mainly found in the Southern 
Province of the island especially in the 
Denipitiya and Weligama areas. The 
production is limited to 1-2 dikiri nuts 
per bunch per palm. Furthermore, 
under natural condition dikiri nuts do 
not germinate. Hence, propagation of 
dikiri is difficult. 
Therefore, Coconut Research Institute 
has launched a programme for a 
mass-production of dikiri plants using 
the embryo culture technology. The 
plants will be ready for distribution in 1-
2 years. However, a few dikiri 
seedlings have already been sold at a 
cost of Rs. 125.00 per seedling. 
Further information can be obtained 
from Director, Coconut Research 
Institute, Lunuwila. 
21 


Dikiri pol for your land

Wimalasekera, R.

TECHNICAL GUIDELINES TO ENHANCE 
SHELF LIFE OF TENDER KING 
COCONUT FOR THE EXPORT 
King coconut, commonly known as 
'thembili' is believed to be indigenous 
to Sri Lanka. Tender king coconut 
water is popular in Sri Lanka not only 
as a thirst aid but medicinal properties 
as well. It is now gaining international 
recognition as a natural beverage. 
The pleasant taste of nut water is 
attributed mainly to the sugars and 
mineral components that are present. 
Changes in these parameters occur 
with the stage of maturity and duration 
after harvesting. The ideal stage for 
harvesting king coconut for drinking is 
C S Ranasinghe and R Wimalasekara 2 
1Senior Plant Physiologist 
2Plant Physiologist 
Coconut Research Institute of 
Sri Lanka 
at 7-8 months from pollination. At this 
stage the nut water has the maximum 
concentration of invert sugars (glucose 
and fructose), low concentration of 
sucrose, optimum levels of minerals 
and vitamins and a neutral pH. 
Nutr i t ive value: 
In a 7-8 month-old nut water has a 
total sugar content of 5-6 g / 100 ml 
and of which 95 
sugars. 
97% are invert 
Type and content of suga rs in 
tender k ing coconu t water 
Sugar Amoun t 
type (g per 100 ml) 
Glucose 2.0 - 3.0 
Fructose 2.0 - 3.0 
Sucrose 0.1 - 0.3 
Mineral componen ts in tender k ing 
coconu t water 
Potassium, the most abundant mineral 
accounts for more than 5 0 % of the 
mineral matter in tender king coconut 
water. 
Mineral 
Potassium 
Chloride 
Calcium 
Magnesium 
A m o u n t 
(ppm) 
1900 - 2500 
1200- 1600 
1 0 0 - 200 
45 - 55 
Vitamins (C and B) as well as amino 
acids (mainly arginine and glutamine) 
are also present in small quantities in 
the tender king coconut water. 
7 
E n h a n c i n g shelf - l i fe fo r sea-freight: 
As our main objective is to cater king 
coconuts to the export market, the 
external appearance of the nut before 
harvesting is of utmost importance. 
Therefore, it is important to ensure that 
tender king coconuts are free of insect 
and mechanical damages before being 
sent to the market. Furthermore, king 
coconut palms grown adjacent to the 
water bodies, produce nuts with a 
higher volume of water with lower 
concentration of sugars. Therefore, it 
is also advisable to test the palatability 
of nut water before being collected for 
export. 
In order to satisfy export market 
requirements, the taste of nut water 
and external appearance of the fresh 
nut have to be maintained for duration 
of 3-4 weeks. The Coconut Research 
Institute, Sri Lanka has developed the 
following protocol, to improve shelf life 
of tender king coconuts and keep for a 
period of 28 days. This protocol is 
recommended for both growers and 
exporters. 
1 . Select 7-8 months old tender king 
coconuts. If the leaf canopy of a king 
coconut palm is numbered according 
to the stage of maturity, and if the flag 
leaf is considered for counting as 
number 1, the 7-8 months old bunch is 
attached to the axis of frond number 
14. 
2. Pick and transport bunches to the 
packing site on- the same day with 
extreme care to minimize fresh 
mechanical damages. 
The following process (steps 3 - 1 0 ) 
should be done within 24-36 hours 
after picking (on the following day). 
3. Separate the nuts from bunch as 
close as possible to the pedicel end 
(blunt end) of the nut using a sharp 
knife disinfected with technical grade 
alcohol. Bruising or crushing of the 
stalk should be avoided. Lesser care 
at this stage may cause early spoilage. 
4. Using a piece of cotton cloth, cotton 
wool or paper tissue, disinfect the 
remaining part of the stalk including 
the cut surface and connecting 
position, perianth area (floral part or 
'theriya') and the outer skin of nut with 
a diluted fungicide solution (0.6g 
Benlate/ 1L water). 
5. Allow the nuts to dry in air for few 
minutes. 
6. Wrap the whole nut with 
polypropylene cling film (food wrapping 
film, GLAD WRAP). It is advisable to 
wrap in such a way that the film 
adheres well to the skin of the nut. A 
piece of cellotape may be used to 
paste the edges of the film. This 
should be done very carefully to avoid 
air spaces in between cling film and 
the nut, which would lead to 
discoloration and shrinking of the skin. 
7. Cover each nut with a net packing 
(McBolon (pvt) Ltd, Sri Lanka) to avoid 
mechanical damages during transport. 
8. Pack 6-8 nuts, turning the stalk end 
(pedicel end) of the nut upwards, in a 
7-ply corrugated cartoon with 6 vents. 
8 
9. Immediately after packing, load the 
packed cartoons to a cold reefer truck 
maintained at 13-15 °C temperature, 
for transport. 
10. Transfer the cartoons to a cold 
reefer container maintained at 13-15 
°C temperature and 70% RH, for sea 
freight. 
11. The storage conditions as well as 
temperature and humidity should be 
maintained all throughout sea freight, 
transport from seaport to sales points 
and at the point of sale. After the sea 
freight, if the nuts are exposed to 
higher temperatures such as 25-27 °C, 
the maximum shelf life at that 
particular temperature is only 4 days. 
But if the nuts are continuously stored 
at 13-15 °C the shelf life is 28-30 days 
from the date of picking. 
We would like to advice the exporters 
to prepare a small sticker to be pasted 
on the nut with the following details. 
(a) Date of picking. 
(b) Date of expiry. 
(c) Chemical composition of king 
coconut water. 
(d) Product is free from, 
microorganisms . 
(e) Remaining husk is biodegradable 
Open ing of the nut : 
Traditional method: Use a sharp knife 
to cut the husk from stalk end (4-5 cm 
away from the tip) to slightly expose 
the shell and cut open a small hole in 
the exposed portion of the shell. 
Extract nut water using a straw. 
Punching tool: Use the blade to lift the 
floral part, with the punch turning 
upwards. Make a punch through the 
soft region at the blunt end. Rotate the 
punch while it is inside the nut and pull 
to make a hole. Extract nut water using 
a straw. 
Destroy ing of the husk : 
The remaining part of the used nut, 
mainly the husk, is a fibrous tissue and 
biodegradable. This can be cut in to 
small pieces / chips and used as a 
potting or gardening mixture to retain 
moisture. 
9 


Technical guidelines to enhance shelf-life of tender king coconut for export

National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka

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