Mangaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release two new coconut and two cocoa varieties developed by the ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, on August 11.
The unveiling will take place at the Bharat Ratna C Subramaniam Auditorium, NASC Complex in New Delhi. These varieties will be part of the 109 crop varieties developed by ICAR which will be released by the PM.
The varieties to be released are coconut varieties— Kalpa Suvarna and Kalpa Shatabdi, and two cocoa varieties VTL CH1 and VTL CH2.
A release from CPCRI, Kasargod said the Kalpa Suvarna is a dwarf, high-yielding, dual-purpose coconut variety with green-coloured, oblong fruits, with sweet tender coconut water and good quality copra. It is an early flowering variety (30-36 months after planting), suitable for processing for tender coconut water and copra production. The variety yields 108-130 nuts/palm/year, under good management and it is recommended for cultivation in Kerala and Karnataka.
The Kalpa Shatabdi is a tall, dual purpose coconut variety, with large fruits, suitable for copra and tender nut production. It bears greenish-yellow fruits with greater volume (612 mL) of good quality tender nut water. It yields high copra content (273 g). The variety yields 105-148 nuts/palm/year, under good management and is suitable for cultivation in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, the VTLCH-1 is an early bearing, stable, high-yielding cocoa hybrid with medium canopy, both under arecanut and coconut shades, suitable for high density planting. The dry bean yield is 1.5 - 2.5 kg/tree/year in 15-18 m 2 canopy.
Beans are of international standard with 1-1.10 g weight, have processing value for chocolate industry with 13 per cent shelling, 87 per cent nib recovery, and 50 per cent fat. It also has 1 per cent free fatty acids, and is rich in iron and zinc.
It can withstand black pod rot and tea mosquito bug infestation, and is tolerant to low moisture stress and suitable for cultivation in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The VTLCH-2 variety of cocoa is an early bearing, high-yielding hybrid with black pod rot disease resistance, suitable for growth in areca nut and coconut gardens. Dry beans yield 1.5-2.5 kg/tree/year in 14-20 m 2 canopy. Beans are of international standard with 1-1.2 g weight, have processing value for chocolate industry with 13 per cent shelling, 87 per cent nib recovery, and 50 per cent fat, apart from 1 per cent free fatty acids. They are also rich in iron and zinc.
These beans are suitable for high density planting, with field tolerance to tea mosquito bug and low moisture stress. The variety is best cultivated in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.