Coconut Palms from Papua New Guinea

First recorded introductions of coconut varieties in Papua New Guinea

Ms Emma Eliza Coe (1850-1913), also known as "Queen Emma of New Guinea", was a business woman and plantation owner of mixed American/Samoan descent. She brought Samoan coconut varieties to Kokopo (East New Britain Province) in the late eighteen century made the first recorded coconut introductions. Subsequently nuts were brought in from many sources including the New Hebrides (Vanuatu), New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Java. Later, more coconut varieties were also brought in from Asian and Pacific areas...

Coconut varieties in Papua New Guinea

Spicata Red Dwarf,, a coconut variety originating from PNG

Variety, Cultivar, Population and Accession, what doest it mean?
How an international name is given to a new coconut variety ?
Dwarf Varieties
Tall-type varieties
Spicata variants

The first contest in PNG on coconut production and varieties launched in 2019!

Coconut genebanks in Papua New Guinea

Note from Roland: the topics indicated in red font are those cited in Vincent's document: "ICG appraisal pre-visit information needed"

List of agricultural facilities in PNG

The first Coconut Genebanks at Rigo, Kapogere and Gobaragere
The second Coconut Genebank: LAES in Kerevat

The Stewart Research Station (SRS) and International coconut collection
(4) Number and size of accessions actually conserved in SRS
What should remain from a disappearing genebank?
(1) Status of the MOA/ ICG agreement
(2) Availability and status of ownership of the land of ICGs (old and new)
(3) Number of accessions to be conserved
(6) Number of countries which actually requested germplasm
(7) Number of countries provided with requested germplasm
(8) Disease threats

Creating a new genebank (the fourth)

Suggestion for new experiments: ; lying (not under but..) the coconut palms!

Evaluation of the International Coconut Genebank for the South Pacific region

Terms of reference
Members of the evaluation team

Topics to be written by team members

Methodology for coconut conservation and breeding

Two "golden rules" for coconut collection and breeding programmes
(5) Number of trees per accession and representativeness

How to download and extract data from the Coconut Genetic Resources Database

(9a) Collecting for additional conservation
(9b) Characterization data available in the CGRD database and other supports
(9c) Yield evaluation
(9d) Disease resistance Trial
(9e) Tissue culture

Palm by Palm data conserved in the coconut Data management Software

Conservation of other tree crops in Papua New Guinea

The objective of this section is to explore how coconut conservation could be linked to conservation of other perenial crop or plant species. Agriculture in Papua New Guinea has a more than 7,000 years old history. Currently around 85% of Papua New Guinea's population lives from semi-subsistence agriculture. Cash crops ranked by value are coffee, oil, cocoa, copra, tea, rubber, and sugar. About 40% of the country is covered with timber rich trees.

Short review of ex situ conservation in PNG

All Palm species
Cocoa
Coffee
Medicinal trees

Rubber

Palm Oil

Tea
Sugar cane
Other tree crops
Botanical gardens
Role of NGOs in conservation of trees and tree crops

Coconut Breeding in Papua New Guinea

Breeding experiments conducted at the Stewart Research Centre
Agronomic and farming systems research conducted at the Stewart Research Centre
Experiments previously conducted in Papua New Guinea

Coconut Seed production system in Papua New Guinea

Hybrid seednuts and seed gardens
Production of Tall-type seednuts
Production of Dwarf seednuts
About the importance of training farmers on reproductive biology of the coconut palm
How farmers can produce good hybrid seednuts by themselves

Temptative list of coconut projects funded in PNG

Main references about coconut in Papua New Guinea

Agronomy
Archeological and ethnological
Breeding and conservation
Pest and diseases
Other topics

Surprising coconut stories from Papua New Guinea

What is the equivalent of the Tahitian "Heiva" in PNG?
August Engelhardt, leader of a Coconut-Obsessed Cult
ToKanao- The First Coconut in PNG

By Olga Skomorokhova - August Engelhardt believed coconuts were divine.

1000 stories about the coconut tree, choose randomly!

During the 35 years that I spent to work on the coconut tree, I produced approximately 1000 scientific papers or films. They are gathered in this drawing! Click randomly on it to see one or more. I ask for your indulgence, some papers are not finished yet (many in French), but I'm working on it!

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