By R. Bourdeix, J. Ollivier and XXXX??, 2019 - In construction
Extract from the text of a PNG newspaper – Post courier, 11th June 1997 (see image)
The area under coconut cultivation in PNG has been estimated at about 265,000 ha. Half of this area is considered senile. Due to insect damage the first hybrid coconut re planting program partly failed.
But it has been observed that this result is often consequence of bad cultural practices and insect problems are not to be generalised (as in Madang province for example where this problem doesn't exist,).
In the recent past in PNG the Dwarf x Tall hybrid a Malayan Red Dwarf x Rennell Island Tall has been considered more precocious and yield higher than the Talls.
A seedgarden of 60 hectares has been planted in the 70's at Omuru site with Malaysian Red Dwarf, Malayan Yellow Dwarf, PNG Brown Dwarf and Rennel Talls. Omuru is located 30 km south-west of Madang on AmeleTransGogol road and was run by DAL for many years.
In 1991 an agreement was signed between DAL, CCRI and CRI to share research activities on this station.
The seedgarden was represented by approx:imately 11,000 coconut palms, the Dwarf palms which were nearly 20 years old were already high and the emasculation work involved having to climb in each tree which was a lot of work and increased the cost of hybrid seednuts.
The nutrition of the palms which did not, receive fertilisers for many years was not very well (with yellow discolouration on the leaves and low yield 40 to 50 nuts per tree).
It was recommended to start a replanting program for this seedgarden and to keep number of old palms to start breeding.
For the commercial production of hybrid seednuts, a replanting program of the seedgarden started in 1993 and continued in 95 and 96.
For the commercial production of hybrid seednuts, a replanting program of the seedgarden started in 1993 and continued in 95 and 96.
It was
interesting to observe that the poisoned palms, which remained in the field
decaying for almost 3 years did not pose any problems. Only Orvctes centaurus
was observed breeding in the decayed trunks but without causing serious damages
to the young replanted palms.
From
October 1995, the commercial production started to be in operation. Assisted
pollination with the pollen of Rennell Island Tall was carried out on old
mother palms during the October December 95 period.
As most of
the palms (planted in Dec. 93) started to flower end of 1995, it was possible
to start assisted pollination on the young palms in February 1996. Rennell pollen
supplied by Keravat is currently used.
Hybrid
seeds production forecast
Fruit set
census done three months after pollination allowed to estimate the future
harvest. This census which started in June 96 gives the number of nuts expected
to be harvested the following year from Feb 97 to August 97. The result shows a
very good precocity of the PBD (on only 0.6 ha) compared MYD and MRD), but the conditions
were quite different between the blocks, MYD and MRD) were party under planted
in between old palms when PBD was not and so not affected by the competition of
the old palms. 11,000 of seednuts are expected to be harvested in the first and
second quarter of 97 but this figure might, be optimistic due to the fact that
the palms are still very young and breaking of bunches and abortion might occurred
during the young stage.
The Omuru
seedgarden will now serve the demand for hybrid seednuts within the region. The
good technical quality of the assisted pollination work and the seedgarden
isolation can guarantee the legitimacy of the seeds produced at Omuru. 1997
will see the start of massive production of seed nuts from Omuru. The 14 ha
which started to bear fruits will allow
farmers to get access to high yielding coconut material.
On the long
run, Omuru seedgarden should be able to produce around 256,000 seeds per annum
which will be enough to plant or replant nearly 1,000 ha of hybrids palms/
year. Seednuts and seedlings can be obtained by farmers at cost price plus
freight. The current price for hybrid seednut is 50 toea and Kl kina per
seedling,
Data from 2012 visit of R. Bourdeix
In 2012, the hybrids produced in PNG are MRD x RIT (70%) and MYD x RIT (30%). about 40000 seednuts per year (to plant about 200 ha). In the previous years, it was more; from 2005 to 2009, about 100,000 seednuts per year were produced from Omuru SG and brougth to commercial nursery at SRS.
Data from 2012 visit of R. Bourdeix
In 2012, the hybrids produced in PNG are MRD x RIT (70%) and MYD x RIT (30%). about 40000 seednuts per year (to plant about 200 ha). In the previous years, it was more; from 2005 to 2009, about 100,000 seednuts per year were produced from Omuru SG and brougth to commercial nursery at SRS.
The Omuru seed garden in Madang was stopped in 2011 due to the Bogia coconut syndrome. There is another CCI seedgarden in the central province called Manabo, and it produces hybrids MRDxRIT. Another Seedgarden start to bear in Rabaul, but problems with Scapanes beetle. It contains different kinds of Dwarfs, Malayan, Madang Brown Dwarf and Nias Green Dwarf, the Tall-types are RIT (too much for a seed garden).
At the beginning RIT where collected from a NARI bloc said to be seednuts imported from the Solomons, but this block was cut in 2008 to plant balsa. Then all the replacements where done by using only two Rennell parent palms near the golf which are not isolated.
There is a need to check these Rennell palms and destroy the illegitimate palms, as there is presently too much Rennell Tall in the seed garden. In Rabaul, Local tall varieties are also sell, it began in 2010. No information was available on the number and type of seedlings sold, and the kinfd of selection which is conducted on local varieties.
In 2012, the daily cost of a field worker paid by the government was in 12 Kina per days (about 3.5 USD) plus accommodation, light, water etc… paid by the institution. Official minimum wage is 183 Kina for 10 working days, 18 kina per day. In fact private farmers often pay less, about 10 kina per day.
In 2012, the daily cost of a field worker paid by the government was in 12 Kina per days (about 3.5 USD) plus accommodation, light, water etc… paid by the institution. Official minimum wage is 183 Kina for 10 working days, 18 kina per day. In fact private farmers often pay less, about 10 kina per day.
