Development of small-scale coconut processing equipment comprising of a simple gender friendly nut dehusker, kiln drier, copra communitor, copra crusher, and oil expeller. These equipment are presently being tested and economically evaluated.
Coconut Palm
A development of varieties of coconut palm which yield 100-150 nuts per palm per year under proper management as against 30-45 nuts from the unimproved coconut palm . These include:
Genetic improvement
West African Tall
This variety produces 80-100 nuts/palm/year with an estimated copra yield of 3.3 metric tons per hectare per year.
Dwarf Green
This flowers 3-4 years after yield establishment and produces 81 nuts/palm/year. From our studies and studies elsewhere, this variety has now been proven to be resistant to the Lethal Yellowing Disease of coconut palm. It is therefore now being advocated for combating the disease. This variety is also used for ornamental purposes
Hybrid Coconut Palm
This is a cross between the dwarf variety and the tall. The hybrid flowers 5 years after planting and produces 94 nuts/palm/year with an estimated copra yield of 3.5 tonnes/ha/year.
Malayan Dwarf Yellow
This is an introduction from Malaysia which flowers 3 years after planting and produces 84 nuts/palm/year with an estimated copra yield of 2.1 tonnes/ha/year. This variety is used mainly for ornamental purposes.
Malayan Dwarf Red
This is also an introduction from Malaysia. It flowers about 3 years after field planting and produces 91 nuts/palm/year with an estimated copra yield of 2.3 tonnes/ ha/year. This variety is also mainly used for ornamental purposes.
- The coconut palm breeding programme has been comprehensively reviewed and refocused.
- New coconut palm germplasm materials have introduced from Marc Delorme Institute, Cote d’ Ivoire, and Ghana to combat the lethal yellowing disease of coconut palm.
- Research linkages have been forged between the Institute and Ghana on the lethal yellowing problem and coconut palm breeding in general.
- Efforts are now being made to plant seed gardens using the dwarf green variety.
- The use of Local Tall variety is also being exploited with nuts to be obtained from areas where the lethal yellowing disease has not been found.
Impact
- Efforts are now being made to plant seed gardens using the dwarf green variety which is resistant to the lethal yellowing disease. This will be further accomplished in collaboration with Federal Department of Agriculture to plant 1-hectare seed garden in each of 2 states of the Federation where the crop can be sustained.
- The use of Local Tall variety is also being exploited with nuts to be obtained from areas where the lethal yellowing disease has not been found.
 Agronomy, Soils and Crop Protection
Elucidation of the nutritional requirement of coconut under Nigerian Environment: From studies conducted in the 1980s, the dry matter partitioning of coconut has been elucidated by scientists at NIFOR as a basis for understanding the nutritional requirements of coconut.
- Nursery techniques: have been worked out for raising healthy coconut seedlings
- The aetiology of the lethal yellowing disease (Bronze leaf wilt) has been clearly elucidated.
Arising from this, the dwarf green coconut has been identified as being tolerant to the disease and is
being evaluated in further tolerance trials in some endemic areas of Nigeria.
Post harvest Processing / Technology
Development of small-scale coconut processing equipment comprising of a simple gender friendly nut dehusker, kiln drier, copra communitor, copra crusher, and oil expeller. These equipment are presently being tested and economically evaluated.
