- The coconut palm requires large quantities of water for its normal growth and timely production.
- In normal conditions and in absence of rains every palm needs about 16-18 litre water daily.
- Regular irrigation helps to increase the fruit set, improve size and copra content.
- However, stagnation of water and ill drained conditions should be strictly avoided.
- Coconut palm responds to summer irrigation.
- Production of female flowers and setting % increases considerably due to irrigation.
- Since spadix initiation to ripening of nuts takes nearly 42 months, the full benefit of irrigation can be felt only after 3 years.
- Burying the Coconut husk or coir dust is one of the most effective ways of conserving soil moisture.
- These husks coir dusts can act as sponge and absorb and retain moisture about 6-10 times respectively to their own weight and slowly relative to the coconut trees during dry periods.
- As the husk or dust breaks down slowly, their effect will last for 4-6 years and 8-10 years respectively.
- On decomposition they also add potash to the soil.
- These husks or dusts can be added in pits / trenches taken in between the trees but in all the cases depth should be 0.6m and 1.8m away from the bole.
- Husks / dusts can be added in alternate layers with soil.
- Each palm requires 55 to 120 litres of water every day.
- Since availability of irrigation water is scanty, for judicious utilization of this resource, adoption of drip irrigation system is most ideal.
- Drip irrigation is known to save about 30 – 40% water with 38% – 40% increase in yield compared to basin irrigation system apart from conserving soil and reducing the competition from weeds for water and nutrients.
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