CROP IMPROVEMENT
- Based on the performance at CRS, Aliyar Nagar and CPCRI, Kasaragod, the coconut genotype SanRamon has been released as Kalpa Shatabdi by CPCRI during 2016. The variety is characterized by large fruits with average copra out turn of 272.9 g and tender nut volume of 612 ml nut-1 (6.2o brix) and average nut yield of 105 nuts per palm per year. The copra out turn of the variety is 28.65 kg per palm per year which is 61.40 % higher than the copra yield of WCT (local control)
- Groundnut culture ALG 234 with the following features was passed on to ART
Habit group : Spanish bunch
Pedigree : Selection from ICGV 94118 (J11 x CS 52) X ICGV 86051
Duration : 120 days
Shelling % : 70
Oil content : 50.3 %
- Groundnut culture ALG 06-320 which is moderately drought tolerant with a potential pod yield of 2741 kg /ha and kernel yield of 1931 kg/ ha was identified for release as a variety for zone III-b (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh) by ICAR – AICRP (G)
- Among the five hybrid combinations (LCT x ADOT, ADOT x ECT, BGR x ADOT, ECT x LCT and WCT x TPT) ADOT x ECT was observed to be the better performing one in terms of number of spikelets production per bunch and number of buttons production per bunch.
CROP MANAGEMENT
- Split application of NPK @ 40:20:40 kg per hectare at 6th and 9th months after sowing coconut seed nuts produce high quality seedlings.
- Water requirement of coconut for Western zone of Tamil Nadu has been
standardized
| Months | Quantity of water to be applied (lit/day) | ||
| Adequate water available area | Moderate water available area | High water scarcity area | |
| Through drip irrigation: | |||
| Feb – May | 65 | 45 | 22 |
| Jan, Aug and Sep | 55 | 35 | 18 |
| June, July, Oct -Dec | 45 | 30 | 15 |
| Through ring basins: | |||
| Feb – May | 410 lit / 6 days | ||
| Jan, Aug and Sep | 410 lit / 7 days | ||
| June, July, Oct -Dec | 410 lit / 9 days | ||
3.Adoption of improved package of practices for groundnut (improved variety, integrated nutrient management, nutrient spray) recorded 17% increased yield with a BCR of 2.59 (Scientific Workers’ Conference, 2006)
4. Application of FYM @ 12 t/ha along with RDF (17:34:54 NPK / ha) recorded higher pod yield in confectionery groundnut CO3 with increased return of Rs. 7736/- per ha and BCR of 2.12 (Scientific Workers’ Conference, 2006)
- Fertilizer schedule for irrigated groundnut was refined as 25:50:75 kg NPK / ha (Scientific Workers’ Conference, 2008)
- Integrated Weed Management in GroundnutBroad leaved weeds: Pre emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg ai/ha followed by post emergence application of Imazethaphyr 50 g ai/ha on 20 DAS
Grass and Broad leaved weeds: Pre emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg ai/ha followed by hand weeding and earthing up + lay by application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg ai/ha on 40 DAS (Scientific Workers’ Conference, 2009)
7.PGR consortia developed for irrigated groundnut is effective in providing foliar nutrition like combined nutrient spray (Scientific Workers’ Conference, 2009)
8.Suitable coconut based multitier cropping system comprising of Coconut + Cocoa + Pineapple + Banana was developed for the Western Ghats region of Tamil Nadu.
9.Flower crops viz., Marigold and Gomphrena were found to be remunerative intercrops in adult coconut gardens without any reduction in nut yield.
10.Medicinal plant – Sitharathai (Alpinia galanga) and the aromatic plant – Lemon grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) performed better in adult coconut garden with higher cost benefit.
11.Widely prevalent deficiencies of KMnO4-N, Olsen –P, NNNH4OAc-K, DTPA Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and hot water soluble boron in the farms of CRS, Aliyar Nagar warrants split application of the fertilizers so as to avoid the sand drown effect of these nutrients
12.A new soil series viz., Aliyar Series which is diagnostically different from that of the already existing red calcareous soil series viz., Palladam series, Tulukkanur series and Palathurai series has been identified at CRS, Aliyar Nagar.
| Soil series | Soil colour | Soil depth | Soil texture | Soil Order |
| Palladam series | 2.5 YR 3/2 –
7.5 YR 4/4 |
15 cm | sl (g) to ls | Entisol |
| Tulukkanur series | 5 YR 4/6 – 5 YR 4/4 | 85 + cm | cl(g) to scl | Entisol |
| Palathurai series | 5 YR 4/6 – 3.5 YR 3/2 | 120+ cm | sl to cl (g) | Alfisol |
(Shading represents the differentia of the profiles explored at CRS, Aliyar Nagar)
13.To alleviate micronutrient deficiencies, Micronutrient formulation has been developed for cocoa under coconut intercropping systems
14.Alternate cropping systems , Paddy – sesame and Paddy – blackgram cropping systems have been suggested to the farmers of PAP command area owing to the instability of the existing paddy – paddy cropping systems due to acute water stress.
CROP PROTECTION
1.An alternate host for the rust pathogen of groundnut , silk leaf weed (Lagascea mollis) has been identified in the groundnut fields and further investigation is under progress
2.Pathogen x climate interaction studies revealed that rainfall, minimum temperature and relative humidity (RH-I and II) had a positive correlation with the late leaf spot (Phaeoisariopsis personata) and rust (Puccinia arachidis) diseases of groundnut.
3.Deep summer ploughing with mould board plough + soil application of Trichoderma @ 4kg / ha enriched in 250 kg FYM / ha + seed treatment with Tebuconazole 2DS @ 1.5 g / kg seeds followed by PGPR @ 625 g per ha seeds + soil application of Trichoderma @ 4kg / ha (enriched in 250 kg FYM / ha at 35 and 70 DAS) significantly reduced the soil borne disease (stem rot).
4.Seed treatment with Mancozeb @ 2 g/ kg + Hexaconazole 0.1% spray at 60 and 75 DAS is recommended for the management of rust and late leaf spot diseases of groundnut.
5.Seed treatment with Propiconazole at 2 ml/kg seed is recommended for the management of groundnut root rot disease.
6.Soil application of microbial consortia consisting of Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma viride @ 300 g + FYM @ 5 kg / palm at quarterly intervals was found to be effective in reducing the leaf blight disease incidence in coconut.
7.IDM package (soil application of Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf1, root feeding of carbendazim @ 2 %, spraying of copper oxy chloride during summer months together with excess application of potassic fertilizer) for the management of leaf blight disease was developed and demonstrated in farmers’ holdings.
8.Minimum inhibitory concentration of carbendazim against the coconut leaf blight pathogen Lasiodiplodia theobromae at 50 ppm, propiconazole @ 250 ppm, tebuconazole @ 1000ppm, penconazole @ 1250 ppm and Tebuconazole+ Zineb @ 2% +75 % WP at 1500 ppm under in vitro conditions was observed.
9.Root feeding of tebuconazole @ 2 % for 3 times at 3 month interval was found to be effective in reducing the leaf blight disease intensity.
10.Incidence of a new invasive Rugose spiralling whitefly (RSW), Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin was noticed in coconut during August 2016, in Anaimalai block, Coimbatore Dt., Tamil Nadu. Parasitisation by Encarsia guadeloupae was observed to an extent of 78.2 per cent at Kaliyapuram village, Anaimalai block, Coimbatore dt., subsequently leading to biosuppression of the RSW. Pesticide holiday has been declared in Tamil Nadu against RSW on coconut.
11.Spraying of Azadirachtin TS @ 1% i.e. 10,000 ppm @ 5 ml + Sandovit 1ml / litre of water followed by release of improved strains of two larval parasitoids braconids, bethylids and pupal parasitoid chalcid @ 20:10:1 at 21 days interval for six times show significant effect on reduction of Opisina arenosella population in coconut.
12.IPM strategies viz., placement of naphthalene balls @ 10 g/palm, pheromone lures@ 1/ ha, spraying green muscardine fungi in manure pits @ 5 X 1011 spores/ m3 and release of baculovirus affected adult beetles @ 15/ha, for the management of rhinoceros beetle in coconut were standardized
13.The black headed caterpillar problem was noticed in several districts of Tamil Nadu viz., Krishnagiri, Tiruppur, Namakkal, Dindigul and Coimbatore during 2016 and farmers were advised to release Bracon brevicornis parasitoids in their fields and the parasitoids were supplied by Coconut Research Station, Aliyar Nagar.
14.Cowdung manure, manure pits, coir pith waste, vermicompost units, palms dead/ felled due to thunder & lightning, stem bleeding, sites, palm crowns and trunks attacked by red palm weevil, etc. were found to house different life stages of rhinoceros beetles. Chlorpyriphos 1.5%DP and chlorantraniliprole 0.4% GR insecticides along with 100-150 gram of sand are effective in reducing the leaf and spindle damage as effective as phorate 10G insecticide. Thus chlorantranliprole and chlorpyriphos can be recommended for the management of rhinoceros beetle in coconut ecosystems.