20 AGM

XX BIENNIAL GROUP MEETING
ON
ALL INDIA COORDINATED RESEARCH PROJECT ON PALMS

held at
Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod

during
October 15-17, 2011

PROGRAMME
XX BIENNIAL GROUP MEETING ON
ALL INDIA COORDINATED RESEARCH PROJECT ON PALMS

Venue: CPCRI, Kasaragod, Kerala
Period: October 15 to 17, 2011
15.10.2011

09.00 - 10.00 hrs : Registration
10.00 – 11.30 : TECHNICAL SESSION - I
PRIORITIES IN COCONUT RESEARCH – EXPECTATIONS
FROM COCONUT DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM & FARMING
COMMUNITY
Chairman : Mr. Thomas Mathew,
Chief Coconut Development Officer
Co-Chairman : Dr. Muralidharan K.,
Head, Social Science Division

Presentations by representatives from :

1. Coconut Development Board
2. Department of Horticulture, Karnataka
3. CPCRI, Kasaragod

Rapporteurs: Dr. C. Thamban
Dr. S. Jayasekar

12.00 –15.00 hrs :

TECHNICAL SESSION – II - REVIEW OF RESEARCH PROJECTS ON GENETIC RESOURCES AND CROP IMPROVEMENT IN COCONUT, OILPALM & PALMYRAH

Chairman : Dr. MG Bhat
Director, DCR, Puttur
Co-Chairmaan : Dr. R.V. Nair,
HD (Crop Imrovement), CPCRI, Kasaragod

Rapporteurs : 1. Dr. R.K Mathur
2. Mr. V.S. Sawant
12.30 – 13.30
& 14.30 – 15.00 : Presentation by Genetic Resources and Crop
Improvement programmes

15.00 – 16.20 hrs : INAUGURAL SESSION
Invocation
Inauguration by lighting the lamp

Welcome Address : Dr. George V. Thomas,
Project Coordinator (Palms)
Coordinator’s report

Presentation of Best AICRP (Palms) Centre Award
Presidential Address : Dr. S.B. Dandin
VC, UHS, Bagalkot

Inaugural Address : Dr. H.P. Singh
Deputy Director General (Hort.)
Felicitations : Dr. P. Rethinam
Vote of Thanks : Dr. H.P. Maheswarappa,
Pr. Scientist, CPCRI, Kasaragod

Technical Session III : VARIETAL RELEASE PROPOSAL
Presentation on the Action Taken Report on previous meeting recommendations

TECHNICAL SESSION – IV

REVIEW OF RESEARCH PROJECTS ON CROP MANAGEMENT IN COCONUT

TECHNICAL SESSION V:

REVIEW OF RESEARCH PROJECTS ON PEST MANAGEMENT IN COCONUT

TECHNICAL SESSION - VI

REVIEW OF RESEARCH PROJECTS ON DISEASE MANAGEMENT IN COCONUT
TECHNICAL SESSION – VII
POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY IN PALMYRAH & SULPHI PALM PROJECT

PLENARY SESSION

SUMMARY REPORT

The XXth Biennial Group Meeting of AICRP on Palms was held during 15-17 October, 2011 at Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod. The group meeting was attended by 80 delegates from 20 centres of AICRP on Palms, State Agricultural Universities, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Directorate of Oil palm Research, Coconut Development Board and State Department of Horticulture covering 12 states of the country. The group meeting discussed the progress of ongoing research programmes in coconut, oil palm, palmyrah palm and caryota palm (sulphi palm).

The group meeting was formerly inaugurated by Dr. H.P. Singh, DDG (Hort.), ICAR, New Delhi on 15th October, 2011. In his inaugural speech, he opined that coconut cultivation could be categorized into cultural cultivation and commercial farming. Hence, he felt, it is necessary that separate strategies are to be developed for each case. He urged the scientists to address their research programmes towards mitigating climate change. Dr. S.B. Dandin, Vice Chancellor, UHS, Bagalkot, Karnataka presided over the function. In his address, he wanted to formulate “Technology Developers” group at the research centre level and “Technology Implementers Group” at the field level for effective utilization of technologies developed. Dr. P. Rethinam, Former Executive Director, APCC and Mr. Thomas Mathew, Chief Coconut Development Officer, CDB, Cochin offered felicitations.

The deliberations of the workshop were conducted in different technical sessions held from 15th to 17th and the salient decisions and recommendations were presented during the Plenary Session held in the AN of 17th October, 2011. The sessions dealt with aspects such as (1) Priorities in coconut research – expectations from coconut development system & farming community, (2) Crop improvement in coconut, oil palm & palmyrah, (3) Variety release proposal, (4) Crop Management in coconut, oil palm & palmyrah, (5) Pest management in coconut, (6) Disease management in coconut and (7) Post harvest technology in palmyrah & project on sulphi palm. The technical sessions were chaired by eminent scientists in the respective fields.

The Plenary Session was chaired by Dr. S. Rajan, Asst. Director General (Hort.I), ICAR, New Delhi on 17th October, 2011. Dr. George V. Thomas, Director CPCRI and PC (Palms) welcomed the delegates and the guests and briefed about the proceedings of meeting. Chairman of each of the above technical sessions presented the salient recommendations and decisions taken during the deliberations. Dr. H.P. Maheswarappa presented the technical programme for 2012-13 and 2013-14 and based on detailed discussions, they were approved.

3.1. MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE PASSED ON TO EXTENSION SYSSTEM: 3.1.1. The major recommendations of the XX AICRP Group meeting:

Coconut varieties suitable for different regions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, yielding on an average 120 to 123 nuts/palm/year were identified.
The following cropping system models are found to be ideal and hence, recommended for commercial adoption in the respective regions.
Bhubaneshwar: Coconut + banana + tube rose (in young coconut garden)

Jagadalpur: Coconut + black pepper + carnation + chrysanthemum

Kahikuchi: Coconut + black pepper + turmeric

Veppankulam: Coconut + black pepper + banana + elephant foot yam + coriander

Konkan region of Maharashtra: Coconut + Turmeric + banana + pineapple + tapioca

Suitable Medicinal and aromatic crops for intercropping in coconut garden to increase the income of coconut farmer have been identified for different locations.

Evaluation of Noni (Morinda citrifolia) as mixed crop in coconut garden using tissue culture plants and seedlings has shown encouraging trend of growth and yield.

High incidence of leaf eating caterpillars (Phelera sp. and Acria sp.) was observed on coconut palms in almost all the gardens of East and West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. These pests were observed during January to March, 2011. Effective strategies have been identified for the management these pests.

It was reported that root (wilt) disease of coconut is spreading to newer areas in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It was suggested to organize an interface meeting of Scientists and Developmental agencies of Tamil Nadu in such areas to sensitize the need of arresting the spread of the disease and to formulate integrated management programmes.

The new programmes formulated are:

Studies on efficacy of aggregate pheromone for controlling coconut pests like rhinoceros and red palm weevil.
Evaluation of promising cocoa clones as mixed crop in coconut/oil palm plantations in different centers.
Evaluation of flowering crops as mixed crops in coconut garden in different centers.

Focus areas of research have been identified in the fields of evaluation of promising lines of various mandate crops for different agroclimatic regions; exploitation of hybrid vigour using local ecotypes and promising location specific accessions; production systems to improve nutrient and water use efficiency and cropping system for mitigating climate change; protection strategies with a focus on use of bioagents; and post harvest technology aimed at product diversification and value addition.