A Study of Natural, Self and Cross (Dwarf × Tall) Progenies of Dwarf Coconuts of the West Coast of India and its Bearing on the Genetics of Dwarfs and the Putative Hybridity of their Off-Type Progenies

Abstract

SUMMARYComparison of yield performance of the dwarf orange and green coconuts of the West coast of India, their off-type progenies, tail ‘female’ × dwarf ‘male’ hybrids and West Coast Talls grown in the Central Coconut Research Station, Kasaragod showed that the off-type progenies of the orange dwarf are very economic yielders. Though they have been considered by earlier workers to be products of out-cross of the dwarfs with tall ‘males’, controlled crosses conducted in this Station show that ca. 50% of the progenies of dwarf orange ‘female’ × tall ‘male’ and ca. 75% of those of dwarf green ‘female’ × tall ‘male’ crosses turn out to be of the purely dwarfish type. Irrespective of the colour characters of the tall pollen parents used, the off-type progenies of the orange dwarfs showed reddish petiole colour; those of the green dwarf were mostly green. Under controlled selfing of the orange dwarf, seedlings resembling the natural off-type progenies were obtained in the same frequency as under open pollinati...