Coconut Sector Development Project. Report on the mission from 21st April to 5th May 2001

The purpose of the mission was to visit all the ongoing trials (on-farm trials set up in 1999) (5 replanting and 8 rehabilitation trials in Western and Central Region), supervise the measurements, fertilization and leaf sampling in these trials and discuss the results obtained until now and propose a schedule for the following years. Young coconut palm growth in the replantings was very limited in 2000 due to poor rainfall. Fertilizers were applied in accordance with the protocol and the first intercrop cycles were carried out. The two trials on the coast (Anho and Ankwanda) are exposed to sea spray and also subject to high Oryctes pressure. Coconut palms can only grow satisfactorily near the sea if protection is provided from sea spray (starting with a filao hedge between the sea and the planting), and if Oryctes is kept down to an acceptable level. The rehabilitation trials received the fertilizer rates specified by the protocol in May 2001. The reaction of leaf contents to the first application in June 2000 revealed 3 groups: - trials 1, 4 and 5 with a very severe initial potassium deficiency, where leaf K contents were substantially increased, which should soon be followed by an effect on production. - trials 2, 3 and 7 with a severe initial potassium deficiency, where leaf K contents were significantly increased, which is very likely to trigger an effect on production. - trials 6 and 8 without an initial potassium deficiency, where the KCI application will probably have no effect. On the whole, we are satisfied with the management of these trials over the first year, a certain number of recommendations are made to improve monitoring in the coming campaigns. (Résumé d'auteur