Komadan - Coconut Varieties

Komadan   types were superior to WCT in all seednut

characters except polar diameter of nut, oil content,

thickness of husk and husk/nut ratio. It behaved as a

distinct type regarding thickness of meat. One or the other

of the Komadan generations was found to be on par with NCD

for majority of the seednut characters. Komadan types

occupied an area midway between NCD and WCT based on Niu

kafa-Niuvai Introgression hypothesis with a clear

progt'ession through generations towards better weight of

unhusked nut. ...

Inbreeding depression was noticed in WCT and NCD

as indicated by significant reduction in embryo and kernel

weight in selfednuts.compared to open pollinated nuts. In

Komadan there was no inbreeding depression indicating a high

degree of homozygosity.

The seednuts of Komadan types showed early

germination compared to WCT and NCD.

Regarding seedling characters, Komadan behaved as

a distinct type for total leaf area over both WCT and NCD.

Number of' seedlings with split leaves was also more in

Komadan. This type was superior to WCT for seedling vigour

indexalso.Estimation of prepotency based on recovery

quality seedlings showed ~hat 40 to 60 per cent

palms were prepotentwhere as the same in WCT and NCD

only about 20 per cent.

Analysis of petiole colour of seedlings

that 71 to 82 per cent of seedlings among the three

generations showed moderate brown colour (bronze)

per cent of WCT seedlings~ad different shades of green

wider variations in petiole colour were noticed

seedlings.

It can be concluded that the Komadan

maintained its genetic identity over generations

respect to economically important characters vlz.

copra, and oil content and also in the recovery of

seedlings which inturn reflects its prepotent nature.

The collection and maintenance of ,typical

germplasm through inter se crossing and. development

isolated seed gardens for large scale production of

seedli-ngs are suggested as future line of work