COCOS - Journal of the Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka

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    Role of Gliricidia sepium on physical improvement of gravelly soil
    (Coconut Research Institute. Lunuwila, 1996) Vidana Arachchi, L.P.; Liyanage, M. De S.
    The Andigama soil series, which is widespread in coconut lands, is known to have poor physical characters restricting palm growth and yield in the intermediate zone of Sri Lanka. This study was carried out to investigate the possibility of improving degraded soil conditions of Andigama series by intercropping with Gliricidia sepium under coconut. Gliricida sepium was established in a 45 year old coconut plantation in double rows of 2m x 1m and arranged in a Randomized Block design with four replicates. The effect on soil physical characters such as texture, bulk density, aeration capacity, moisture retention and root distribution pattern of Gliricidia sepium were studied. Results revealed that clay faction cemented with gravel significantly increased (P0.05)bulk density (1.62 +-0.07). it acts as a physical barrier and reduced readily available water fraction in B horizon. the available water fraction in A, AB and B horizons decreased by 66
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    Effect of planting density on the yield of coconut
    (Coconut Research Institute. Lunuwila, 1996) Fernando, W.M.U.; Bandaranayake, C.K.
    An analyses is presented of the yield components of coconut established under densities varying from 128 palms/ha to 239 palms/ha from a spacing trial conducted by the Coconut Research Institute. Analysis of yield data during 1976-1980 from 24 palms from 4 replicates analysed for each density treatment revealed significant differences in nuts/palm and copra/palm for the densities tested. The nuts/palm decreased with increasing density but the yield/ha, maximised at a density of 171 palms/ha and decreased beyond 171. Significant differnces were absent inyield of copra/nut for the densities tested. The differences in copra/palm were due to the effect of nut number/palm. At a densityof 179 palms/ha, copra/ha maximised to 2260 kg and decreased beyond 179. The results of the present analysis indicate that a density ranging from 171-179 palms per hectare is the optimum for planting coconut in dry-intermediate zone where the study was conducted.