Abstract

                                Identification and utilization potential genotypes for development of high yielding cultivars with distinctive traits is the need of the hour to cope up with the shifting demand of international market. The present research examination was carried among seven exotic coconut genotypes viz., San Ramon Tall (SNRT), Federated Malay States Tall (FMST), British Solomon Island Tall (BSIT), Zanzibar Tall (ZNT), St. Vincent Tall (STVT), Gonthembili Tall (GTBT) and Java Tall (JVT) in comparison with three indigenous coconut ecotypes viz., Tiptur Tall (TPT), East Coast Tall (ECT), and Arasampatti Tall (APT) at ICAR-AICRP (Palms) centre, Coconut Research Station, Aliyarnagar. The investigation was intended to identify suitable exotic coconut genotypes with increased copra quantity and quality along with good tender nut parameters for cultivation in the Western Zone of Tamil Nadu. Based on the observations recorded over a period of eight years from 2010 to 2017, Federated Malay States recorded maximum girth (121.2cm) while San Ramon Tall was found to be superior in terms of floral traits and inflorescence production per year. Java tall produced maximum number of buttons per inflorescence (26.0)among the genotypes evaluated. The highest annual nut yield was recorded by Zanzibar Tall (106.6 nuts per palm per year)followed by Federated Malay States (99.9 nuts per palm per year), while San Ramon Tall also recorded considerable nut yield of 75.3 nuts per palm per year. Sanramon Tall recorded the highest average copra content (333.2 gram per nut) with an estimated copra yield of 25.1 Kg per palm per year. Taking into consideration of yield attributes, fruit component traits and tender nut quality parameters, the exotic genotypes San Ramon Tall (SNRT) and Federated Malay States Tall (FMST) were found to be suitable for cultivation in the Western zones of Tamil Nadu.

Key words : Coconut; Evaluation of Exotic Genotypes; Western Zone of Tamil Nadu