MINISTRY

OF

EDUCATION

SECONDARY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMME

NOVEMBER 2020

GRADE 8

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

WEEK 8

LESSON 1

TOPIC: Cultivation of

Crops(Coconut)

SUB-TOPICS:

Origin and Distribution of Coconut

Economic Importance and Varieties

OBJECTIVES: students will

Explain the origin and distribution of coconut correctly.

Discuss the economic importance of coconut accurately.

Identify and differentiate between the varieties of coconut without hesitation.

Origin and Distribution of Coconut Botanical name: Cocos nucifera

Family: Palmae

The center of origin seemed to be in or around Malaysia or Indonesia.

It is now grown between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn at loe elevations.

It cannot thrive at high altitudes with cold climate.

Major coconut growing areas are the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Pacific Islands, Venezuela, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Bahamas.

A fair amount of coconut is grown in Brazil.

In most countries, coconuts are a small holder's crop and are planted together with crops like bananas, cinnamon and vanilla.

Economic Importance of Coconut It is one of the most useful trees in the world and is often referred to as the "tree of life".

It provides food, fuel, cosmetics, folk medicine and building materials, among many other

uses.

The inner flesh of the mature seed, as well as the coconut milk extracted from it, forms a

regular part of the diets of many people in the tropics and subtropics.

Coconuts are distinct from other fruits because their endosperm contains a large quantity of

clear liquid, called coconut water or coconut juice.

Mature, ripe coconuts can be used as edible seeds, or processed for oil and plant milk from

the flesh, charcoal from the hard shell, and coir from the fibrous husk.

Dried coconut flesh is called copra, and the oil and milk derived from it are commonly used

in cooking, frying in particular as well as in soaps and cosmetics.

Economic Importance of Coconut The hard shells, fibrous husks and long pinnate leaves can be used as material to make a variety of

products for furnishing and decoration.

The coconut has cultural and religious significance in certain societies, particularly in India, where it is

used in Hindu rituals.

It forms the basis of wedding and worship rituals in Hinduism, a coconut religion in Vietnam, and

features in the origin myths of several societies.

The falling nature of their mature fruit has led to preoccupation with death by coconut.

Video on How to make fresh Coconut

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCdvrEWL4NQ

Video on a Modern Coconut Processing Facility

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3UuKgxZmDg

Economic Importance of Coconut

Milk Water Woven Palms Canag Offering Copra

Broom Oil Ornaments Soap Jelly

Varieties of Coconut Tall Palms (variety typica)

These are mostly planted for commercial production.

They grow to a heaight of 20-30m and start bearing after 6 to 7 years after planting.

They are normally cross pollinated.

The nuts are medium to large in size and 4000-6000 nuts usually yield 1 ton of copra.

The tall palms are hardy and will thrive on different soil types and under different environmentalconditions.

The Tall types existing in the Guyana are the Jamaica Tall and the Panama Tall, each consisting of twobasic colour forms: Green and bronze. The Jamaica Tall bears long, angular nuts with distinct ridgesand a thick mesocarp. De-husked, its nuts are also angular and pointed at the end.

On the other hand, the fruits of the Panama Tall are much more spherical with thinner mesocarp.These two types may be considered the ‘original’ Tall types in Guyana.

Varieties of Coconut

Tall Palms (variety typica)

Atlantic Tall Panama Tall Jamaica Tall

Varieties of Coconut Dwarf variety ( variety –nana)

• They are short and 8-10m high the most, when they are 20 years old.

• They start to bear about the third year when they are less than 1 m high.

• Maximum production is reached at 20-25 years.

• Commercial Dwarf types are mainly of the green and yellow ‘3-year’ (three years to begin production) variants.

• The Green Dwarf is similar to the Brazilian Green Dwarf in growth habit, number of nut per bunch and size of nuts.

• The Yellow Dwarf, however, is different from the Malaysian Yellow Dwarf, in having a larger nut size and a less intense yellow colour in petioles and epicarps of the nuts.

• A third Dwarf type variant is the Red Dwarf (Orange Dwarf), restricted mainly to the Pomeroon River area.

• Another variant, the Bronze Dwarf (so-called because of its bronze epicarp), is a relatively new find of about four years ago.

Varieties of Coconut Dwarf variety ( variety –nana)

Red Malaysian Green Malaysian Bronze

Review

Write an essay with not less than 100 words on the Importance of Coconut to

Guyana.

References

Book

Weever, et al (1993), Agricultural Science for Secondary Schools in Guyana, BK 2, Ministry of Education National Center for Educational Resource Development, Georgetown, Guyana. Chapter 2, pages 68-70.

Internet

https://guyanachronicle.com/2016/11/05/four-main-varieties-of-coconuts-used-for-commercial-purposes-locally/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3UuKgxZmDg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCdvrEWL4NQ