Priority Research Areas

• Evaluate new crosses between diverse coconut germplasm including exotic coconuts for production of high yielding coconut cultivars
• Evaluate the performance of existing cultivars of coconut in different agro-climates under researcher and farmer conditions.
• Breeding and selection of cultivars for specific traits, resistance mite, fibre, sap, shell products, aqueous products
• Mapping the coconut genome for marker assisted selection and increasing homogeneity in planting material
• Conservation, characterization, evaluation and utilization of coconut germplasm
• Development of an efficient in vitro plant regeneration protocol for coconut
• Development of specific fertilizer recommendation on land/soil classes
• Design of cost effective irrigation and fertigation systems for coconut
• Introduction of improved cultural practices to rehabilitate low-yielding coconut plantation
• Development of dendro-thermal power generation activities in coconut land
• Development of different coconut communities with selected industrial activities to alleviate poverty
• Development of biological control method to manage coconut mite
• Development of environmental friendly and cost effective pest management strategies for major pests of coconut
• Develop effective management methods for coconut diseases
• Screening for drought tolerance coconut using physiological and biochemical characters
• Identification causes and remedial measures of decline disorders of coconut
• Development for post harvest technology for shelf life improvement of tender coconut
• Development of novel coconut based products and improvement of quality of copra and coconut oil
• Investigate retting process of coir
• Assessment of the impacts of and adaptation to climate change
• Development of crop forecasting methods
• Economic analysis of impacts due to trade policies
• Analysis of contemporary economic issues affecting the coconut industry
• Analysis economic feasibility of production and processing technologies