Propagation

 Selection of site

• Select sites with deep (not less than 1.5 m depth) well drained soil.
• Avoid shallow soils with underlying hard rock, low-lying areas subject to water stagnation and heavy clayey soils.

 Selection of mother palms

Select mother palms having the following characters:
• Regular bearing habit and yielding not less than 80 nuts / annum.
• Age 20 years or more (5 years after reaching full bearing capacity). If the mother palms are the progeny of elite planting material and gives consistently higher yields for a period of not less than 6 years, seed nuts can be collected from such palms. There is no need for insisting 20 years as minimum age for mother palms in such conditions.
• More than 30 fully opened leaves with short strong petioles and wide leaf base firmly attached to the stem.
• Bearing at least 12 bunches of nuts with strong bunch stalks.
• Bearing nuts of medium size and oblong shape.
• Husked nuts should weigh not less than 600 g
• Mean copra content of 150 g per nut or more. Avoid palms which (i) have long, thin and pendulous inflorescence stalks (ii) produce long, narrow, small sized or barren nuts (iii) show shedding of immature nuts in large numbers (iv) are grown under favourable environmental conditions

 Collection and storage of seed nuts

• Collect mature nuts (above 11 month old) during the period from December to May.
• Lowering of bunches by means of ropes may be done when the palms are tall and ground is hard.
• Discard nuts, which show improper development or other undesirable features.
• Store seeds in shade for a minimum period of 60 days prior to sowing in nursery.
• For storing, arrange the seed nuts with the stalk-end up over an 8 cm layer of sand in a shed and cover with sand to prevent drying of nut water.
• Up to five layers of nuts can be arranged one over the other.
• The nuts can also be stored in plots, provided the soil is sandy and the ground is sufficiently shaded. In the case of nuts harvested in May, heap them in partial shade, till husk is well dried and then sow them in the nursery.

 Selection and preparation of site for nursery

• Nursery sites should be well drained with light textured soil and with adequate but not too much shade.
• In open areas, provide shade during summer. Prepare beds of 1.5 m width and of convenient length with 75 cm space between beds.
• In areas where drainage is poor, prepare raised beds.
• Before sowing, examine seed nuts and discard those without nut water and rotten kernels.
• Sow the nuts in the nursery after commencement of southwest monsoon during May-June

 Spacing of nuts

• Plant the seed nuts at a spacing of 30 cm (between rows) x 30 cm (between nuts) with four or five rows per bed.

 Method of planting seed nuts

• Plant the seed nuts in the beds in trenches 25-30 cm deep and cover with soil so that top portion of husk alone is visible.
• The nuts may be planted either horizontally with the widest of the segments at the top or vertically with stalk-end up.
• Vertical planting is preferable on account of convenience in transporting and lesser risk of seedling injury.

 Care and management of nursery

• Provide protective fencing to the nursery if it is located in open area.
• If the soil is sandy, provide mulching immediately after the cessation of monsoon rain.
• Irrigate the nursery once in two days during summer months.
• Keep the nursery beds free of weeds by periodic weeding.
• If termite is noticed, remove soil in the affected area upto a depth of about 15 cm and dust soil and nuts with carbaryl or chlorpyrifos.
• Repeat if attack persists.
• Periodically spray the plants with 1per cent bordeaux mixture or any other copper fungicide to prevent fungal infection.

 Selection of seedlings

Remove seed nuts, which do not germinate within 6 months after sowing as well as those with dead sprouts.
Select only good quality seedlings (9-12 months old) by a rigorous selection based on the following characteristics.

• Early germination, rapid growth and seedling vigour.
• Six to eight leaves for 10-12 months old seedlings and at least four leaves for 9 months old seedlings.
• Collar girth of 10-12 cm.
• Early splitting of leaves.
  Note: The recovery of quality seedlings will be about 60-65 per cent. Since early germination is one of the criteria for the selection of seedlings, the storing and sowing of seed nuts should be in lots rather than in a staggered manner.

 Removal of seedlings

• Remove seedlings from the nursery by lifting with spade and cutting the roots.
• Keep the seedlings in shade and do not expose to sun.
• Plant seedlings as early as possible after removal from nursery.
• Never allow lifting the seedlings from the soil by pulling the leaves or stem.

Land Preparation and Planting

• The nature of preparation of land before planting depends upon topography of land, soil type and other environmental factors.
• On slopes and in areas of undulating terrain, prepare the land by contour terracing or bunding.
• In low-lying areas and rice fields, form mounds to a height of at least 1 m above water level.
• In reclaimed kayal areas, planting can be done on the field bunds.
• The size of pits for planting would depend upon soil types and water table.
• In loamy soils with low water table, pit size of 1m x 1m x1 m is recommended.
• In laterite soils with underlying rock, take larger pits of size 1.2 mx 1.2 m x 1.2 m.
• In sandy soils, the size of pits may be 0.75 m x 0.75 m x 0.75 m.
• The pits may be filled up with top soil to a height 60 cm below the ground level.
• In low lying lands, take shallow pits and as the plant grows, raise the ground level by adding silt and sand so as to cover the entire bole of the palm.
• The same procedure can be adopted when planting is done on mounds or bunds.
• Burial of two layers of husks in the pits will be useful for moisture conservation.
• The husk is to be buried in layers with concave surface facing upwards.

 Spacing

• Spacing depends upon the planting system,soil type etc. In general, spacings are recommended under different systems in sandy and laterite soils.
• In lateritic gravelly soils, under rainfed conditions of north Kerala, a closer spacing to accommodate 250 palms per ha is more economical.
• In the hedge system of planting, the rows should be aligned in north-south direction and the seedlings planted as in the triangular system.

 Time of planting

• Planting the seedlings during May, with the onset of pre-monsoon rains is ideal.
• Under assured irrigation, planting can be done during April also.
• In low-lying areas, plant the seedlings in September after the cessation of heavy rains.