Abstract
The present study determined the dry matter (DM) requirement for potential growth (PGR), growth respiration (Rg) and maintenance respiration (Rm) of fruits, leaves, stem and root system of adult coconut palms (25-26 years) of Tall x Tall cultivar under resource-unlimiting conditions. The total DM requirement of a palm was about 21 kg/palm/month and 63% of that total was required for growth and respiration of vegetative organs (leaves, stem and roots) whilst the rest (37%) was for fruits. Similarly, the DM required for respiration (62%) was nearly two third of the total requirement of a palm and the balance 38% was required for growth of organs. The total dry matter requirement (TDMR) of individual fruits varied with developing stage and TDMR of fruits / palm varied between months and years depending on the fruit load of different development stages. Irrespective of the year, TDMR of fruits was highest during November to February (about 10-11 kg/palm/month) and lowest in June-July (about 5-6 kg/palm/month). However, the DM requirement of vegetative organs (a total of approximately 13 kg/palm/month) did not vary between months.
Highlights
Crop yield in tree fruit crops like coconut depends on fruit set and the ability of the tree to supply photosynthates to sustain the growth and respiration requirements of developing fruits
Because of this relationship to crop yield, there has been some research on the factors controlling fruit set and photosynthesis in coconut (Nainanayake et af. 2008; Ranasinghe et af. 2012)
Even though fruits are widely recognized as major 'sinks' for photo-assimilates and the competition for assimilates among fruits is one of the major factors controlling fruit set (Navarro et ai, 2008; Ranasinghe et af. 2012), there have been no attempts to quantify actual assimilate requirement for growth and respiration of fruits and other vegetative organs of coconut palms
Summary
Crop yield in tree fruit crops like coconut depends on fruit set and the ability of the tree to supply photosynthates to sustain the growth and respiration requirements of developing fruits. Because of this relationship to crop yield, there has been some research on the factors controlling fruit set and photosynthesis in coconut Even though fruits are widely recognized as major 'sinks' for photo-assimilates and the competition for assimilates among fruits is one of the major factors controlling fruit set In a perennial crop like coconut with simultaneous growth of vegetative and reproductive organs, the dry matter requirement of vegetative organs has the priority over fruits (Navarro et af. 2008) and when the total dry matter requirement of the palm is high, flowers and young fruits are not able to compete for assimilates with the fast-growing fruits and abort resulting low fruit set
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