India’s First Tall × Tall Coconut Hybrid Development

An evaluation trial conducted over 30 years on coconut hybrid combinations has resulted in identification of a superior, high yielding Tall x Tall hybrid, released as VPM 5 involving Laccadive Ordinary Tall as female parent and Cochin China as male parent. This hybrid is better performing over other hybrids and local check with higher nut yield (161 nuts palm-1 year-1), higher copra out turn of 24.1 kg palm-1 year-1 and 4.2 t ha-1 year-1 with an estimated oil recovery of 2.90 t ha-1 under irrigated conditions of Tamil Nadu. The hybrid took on an average of 45 months for initiation of first flowering, possess good tender nut water quality (TSS 5.5° Brix) and with 300 ml of tender nut water. The hybrid recorded 44 percent more nut yield, 48 percent more copra yield and 48.2 percent more oil yield over the released Tall x Dwarf hybrid ‘VHC 1'. The seedlings of the hybrid are more vigorous, producing higher number of leaves within 12 months, having higher leaf area and dry weight indicating precocity in growth and development. The flowering, morphological and fruit component traits of the hybrid were compared with parental palms are found superior. The characteristics of this hybrid and its performance indicated the potential to increase the productivity and over all coconut production. Molecular finger printing studies showed their parental confirmation.