Dear Sir,
I am new to farming. I have six acres of cocnut farm in Thenkasi. I get around Rs. 2.75 per nut. We follow general agri practise. We have copius water. Yield is around 8 nuts per tree or 5000 or so from 400 trees every two months. We plant bananas to inprove cococonut yield. I can surely use some advise!
Yagneswaran
Dear yagneswaran,
Some of the general things that you can do to improve coconut yeald.
1.Add farmyard manure at the rate of 20 kgs per palm.
2.Micro Nutrients play a vital role in the well being of the palm and its nut bearing capacity. Coconut micro nutrients are available with Bannari Amman bio labs and Stanes labs in Coimbatore . Apply the nutrients at least one month after you have applied farm yard manure or any other organic manure.
the reason for applying organic manure beforehand is to help in the absorption of the micro nutrients.
3.inter cropping coconut with banana is a good thing. But have in mind that if you flood the palm with too much of water then the roots are not able to perspire and thus reduce their intake of nutrients.Which in turn may also result in poor yeald.
4. Have your soil and water tested so that you can know what your soil is deficient in and apply the required fertilizers. the knowledge on soil and water pH and also water hardness will also help you to taker a decision on what your palm require.
5. As a practice do not remove all the leaves that drop from the palm instead spread the leaves on the ground and plough the field with 12 disc harrow. This increases the organic matter in the soil and the leaves also contain vital nutrients.
Whatever you do there is no quick solution for the problem. Give the palm at least eight to twelve months before you see promising results.
If you want chemical fertilizer recommendations then :-
Urea : 600gms + DAP : 400gms + MOP 1250gms
can be applied in a single dose or split into two doses. Again adding organic manure helps in the absorption of these fertilizers.
