Indigenous Farming :: Indigenous Technical Knowledge
COCONUT
- To prevent rats from climbing coconut trees, a large palm leaf is split along its mid rib; one set of leaflets is wrapped around the trunk below the crown and the other set is wrapped in the opposite direction.
- To control flower shedding in coconut, salt is poured on the apical portion of the flower buds and also spread at the root zone ad given plenty of water.
- Seed nuts are collected from high yielding mother palms having dense and longer leaves and bigger nuts.
- Seed nuts, which are round in shape and produce metallic sound on tapping are selected for raising nursery.
- Seed nuts are planted in sand bed nursery and kept for six months with irrigation in alternate days.
- About 6-8 months old coconut seedlings having 5-6 leaves are selected for planting
- For coconut planting, pits are dug and filled with Kolingi (Tephrosia purpurea) allowed to decompose for six months.
- Suitable seasons for Coconut planting are 'Aadi' (July-Aug.) and Karthigal (Dec.-Jan.) months.
- Before planting coconut seedling, roots are removed in order to induce fresh roots.
- Application of 10 -15kg. of FYM per tree every year.
- Application of Kolingi (Tephrosiapurpurea) @ l0 kg.Aree every year.
- Applying Calotropis gigantea, (1kg.), Kolingi (1kg.), Pothakalli (Poeciloneuron pauciflorum)(1 kg.)fishmeal (1Kg.), salt (1kg.) and sand in a semi-circular basin around the higher yield.
- Mulching by burying of coconut husks around the tree to conserve moisture and to control weeds.
- Inter space in the coconut garden is ploughed twice in a year in Jun.-July and Dec.-Jan. to facilitate aeration to the roots and to control weeds.
- Spraying neem oil to reduce flower shedding.
- To prevent button shedding, common salt is applied around the growing tip @ 2kg. tree during rainy season.
- Application of ash to control button shedding.
- Kolingi (Tephrosia purpurea) and Caiotropis gigantea are applied in circular basin just before flowering to control button shedding.
- Application of neem cake in the pits before planting coconut, to avoid the attack of insect pests and ants.
- Earthen pots are placed in small pits in coconut garder s and % the of the pot is filled with water and Vtkg. of castor cake. After three days due to the smell, rhinoceros beetles get attracted, fall in to the pot and die.
- Pouring neem cake extract on the growing tip and adjoining fronds to control rhinoceros beetle.
- To control stem weevil in coconut, the hole bored by it, is cleaned and plugged after putting common salt.
- Putting 1 -2 kg of common salt in the pit, while planting coconut, to control termites and to conserve moisture.
- While planting coconut seedling, one leaf of Agave sp. is planted in the pit to retain soil moisture and to control termites. Flooding the coconut gaiden to wash off termites
- Lime washing for 2-o feet height at the base of coconut trees to control termite attack.
- To control termites, 500 g. of common salt is dissolved in 5 lit. of water and poured on the ., trunk.
- Growing poultry birds in coconut gardens to feed on termites.
- Jo control Thanjavur wilt of coconut, green manures like kolingi (Tephrosia purpurea), daincha (Sesbania sp.) etc. are raised and ploughed in situ or well decomposed FYM is applied followed by the application of neem cake.
- To control stem bleeding, the bleeding mouth on the trunk is cut to certain extent, cleaned and poured with lime solution.
- Branches of Seemai karuvel (Prosopis juliflora) or barbed wires are tied around the mid trunk to a height of 2-3 feet to prevent climbing of rats and squirrels.
- Greenish yellow coconuts are harvested.
- Adding a piece of jaggery (country sugar) in coconut oil to separate the dusts and make the oil more clear.
|
|
