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Physiology and Biochemistry
Production
physiology
 The Physiological/biochemical basis of seed germination, seedling growth and
vigour in coconut was analyzed.
The vigorous seedlings expressed
precocity in flowering and superiority in yield components
A high carbohydrate-nitrogen (C/N)
ratio in the stem is a prerequisite for flowering in young coconut palms. Shedding of buttons (pistillate
flowers) and C/N ratio in the leaf subtending the inflorescence are
negatively correlated.
Ontogeny of inflorescence initiation to
fruit development was delineated.
Methods for non-destructive estimation
of leaf area, dry matter produ-ction in seedlings and in adult palms
(vegetative and reproductive) have been developed.
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Physiology
of root (wilt) affected palms:
Disease affected palms showed
derangement in the root functioning,
high respiration, low photosynthesis,
abnormal stomatal opening, reduction in leaf water potential, derangement of
phenol metabolism and rate of flow of phloem sap, decrease in chlorophyll
content.
Abnormal stomatal opening and low leaf turgor potential were found to be
associated with the root (wilt) disease symptom and could be used as
diagnostic method for the early detection of the disease. Using physiological rapid screening method, the diseased palms could be
detected 6 to 24 months earlier than visual symptom expression and compared
well with serological test. Physiological studies on the management of root (wilt) disease revealed the
efficacy of summer irrigation on the overall improvement of diseased palms
not only in terms of all the components of disease index viz. flaccidity,
yellowing, necrosis, leaf rot and senescence but also in enhancing the nut
yield and quality.
Impact of drought on coconut
are bending
and breaking of dry leaves, yellowing, poor spathe development, shedding of
buttons and immature nut fall and Low nut yield. Drought
tolerant cultivars maintain higher harvest index and higher Water Use Effiency during
stress period. Cultivars with higher WUE during stress period showed high
correlation with the dry matter production and stability in yield.
Work on
characterization and management of drought in different agro -climatic zones
led to identification of location specific drought management strategies. Empirical
models to predict the nut yield in coconut were developed based on the
weather data.
Molecular basis
of drought tolerance: ABA signals, Stress proteins
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The small to medium chain
fatty acids viz., caprylic (C8:0), capric (C10:0), lauric (C12:0) and
myristic (C14:0) acids increased with nut maturity. The long chain fatty
acids, palmitic (C16:0) and stearic (C18:0) acids were maximum in 7 month
old nuts and their concentration decreased thereafter.
Lauric acid was the maximum
(35-47%), followed by myristic acid (18-24%), palmitic and stearic acids
(6-20%). The caprylic, capric and unsaturated fatty acids were least,
ranging from 1-6%.
Shelf life of coconut oil can
be enhanced by storing it in brown bottles, plastic cans or clay jars with
preservatives like tamarind (2%), common salt (1%) or citric acid (0.05%).
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