Coconut Varieties and

Cultivars

Ernesto Emmanuel
Officer- in-Charge
Breeding & Genetics Div.
Philippine Coconut Authority
Zamboanga Research Center
 Coconut Varietal
Identification
Variety – “ a general term to
denote a single strain or a
group of strains > distinctly
differ in structural or functional
characters or a group of the
same species > can be
depended upon to reproduce
itself true-to-type” (Menon and
Pandalai, 1958)
 Coconut Varietal

Identification
DUS Principle

Distinct

Uniform Stable
 Coconut Classification
TRAITS TALL DWARF
More widely Less widely
Geographical distributed and distributed &
distribution commercial non-commercial

Stem Enlarged & with Thin, with a

circumference bole cylindrical or
Tapering base
Mode of Highly-crossed Highly-selfed
pollination
 Coconut Classification
TRAITS TALL DWARF
Most are
Pigmentation of Either pure
mixture of
nuts and petiole greens, browns,
greens and
of leaves yellows & reds
browns
Height >50 cm <50 cm
increase/yr
Years to start Late (5-7 years) Early (3-4
production years)
 Coconut Classification
TRAITS TALL DWARF
Phenotypic
variation
Within cultivar High Low
Between cultivar High High
Nut size Very small Very small
to large to medium
Root Generally Less dense &
distribution More dense few
& plentiful
 Coconut Classification
TRAITS TALL DWARF
Reaction to
adverse Generally less Sensitive to
conditions or sensitive hypersensitive
environment
Leaf & Bunch
Attachment Very strong Fragile
Cultural
Requirement Average Input High Input
Expected life
span > 50 years < 50 years
 PCA Coconut Genebank
Farmers’ varieties and
conserved germplasm

 BAGUER
GREEN
DWARF
 PCA Coconut Genebank

 MARGOS
TALL SPICATA
(SPIT)

10
 PCA Coconut Genebank

 AGTA TALL
(AGAT)
Coconut Varieties