Coconut Breeding in Sri Lanka : A Review

Abstract

Work done byCoconut Research Institute, Sri Lanka, on the genetics and breeding of the coconut palm from 1930 to 1980 is described. It involves studies on: mass selection methods, selection differential, progeny trials, inbreeding depression, estimation of genetic parameters, construction of selection indices and varietal hybridization. Two improved varieties CRIC 60 and CRIC 65 have been produced. An isolated seed garden was established for the large scale production of seed of the improved varieties. INTRODUCTION The Coconut Research Scheme in Sri Lanka was established in 1929, under the Coconut Research Ordinance, No. 29 of 1928. There were three divisions then: technology, genetics and soil chemistry. There was only one scientific officer attached to each division. The genetics division functioned from 1930. Subsequently, the Coconut Research Scheme was upgraded and enlarged into the Coconut Research Institute (CRI) in 1951 with more divisions and scientific staff. The present report covers the work done by CRI on coconut breeding from 1930 to 1980. Those who were in charge of the Division during this period are indicated below. The emphasis on the nature of breeding work varied with the Heads of Division: Pieris concentrated on mass selection, Raghavan on a progeny trial; Liyanage on genetic parameters, controlled pollination and production of improved varieties; Manthriratne on assessment of performance of hybrids.

Quantitative Characterization of Nut Yield and Fruit Components in Indigenous Coconut Germplasm in Sri Lanka

“…As has been previously recorded [9] Kamandala revealed the highest values for all the parameters International Journal of Biodiversity 3 scored. In general Kamandala was followed by Ran thembili and Gon thembili and these three tall coconut phenotypes outperformed all the other coconut phenotypes studied in this experiment with respect to fruit components.…”

“…Although nut yield recording was not undertaken in the coconut phenotype Kamandala in the current study, this phenotype is reported to produce a low number of nuts [9]. Accordingly Kamandala cannot be recommended as an economical cultivar for wide-scale cultivation.…”

The SUSPECT SYMPTOMS OF INBREEDING DEPRESSION AND THE HOMOZYGOSITY LEVEL OF FOURTH GENERATION OF SP450T AND FIFTH GENERATION OF DURA DELI OIL PALM SELFING POPULATION

“…Depresi silang-dalam juga menurunkan konsentrasi klorofil pada genus Picea (Major et al, 2007) dan gejala penurunan aktivitas fotosintesis (Fracheboud et al, 1999). Peningkatan homozigositas pada gen resesif dapat menyebabkan penurunan vigor kelapa sawit (Corley dan Tinker, 2003) dan variasi endosperm pada tanaman kelapa (Liyanage et al, 1988).…”

Characterisation of Sri Lanka Yellow Dwarf Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) by DNA fingerprinting with SSR markers

“…In Sri Lanka, coconut has been classified into three varieties as Tall (Typica), Dwarf (Nana) and Intermediate (Aurantiaca), and under these three varieties 13 different forms of coconut were recognised by Liyanage (1958). Later, more forms were added into the varietal classification of coconut in Sri Lanka (Liyanage et al, 1988;Perera et al, 1997; December A recent study reported the morphological nonuniformity of the Sri Lanka Yellow Dwarf (SLYD) coconut population (Kamaral et al, 2014;Perera et al, 2015). Later, in addition to the pure SLYD, a new semi tall coconut phenotype was identified within this population bearing yellow coloured nuts.…”