ARECANUT

Varieties:  

Mangala, Sumangala, Subamangala, Mohitnagar, Srimangala, Samruthi (Andaman), Hirehalli dwarf, VTLAH 1, 2 and Thirthahalli dwarf.  

  Selection of site:  

Select sites with deep, well-drained soil without a high-water table. Provide adequate irrigation facilities.  

  Selection of mother palms:  

Select mother palms showing earliness and regularity in bearing, a high percentage of fruit set, and dwarf to semi-tall stature.  

  Selection of seed nuts:  

During mid-season, thoroughly select tree-ripe nuts from middle bunches. Discard nuts that are undersized, malformed, and low in weight.    

Nursery techniques:  

Sow selected seed nuts soon after harvest in a nursery bed with stalk end up and spacing 5-6 cm. Cover the seed nuts with sand and rinse daily. Transplant 90-day-old sprouts with 2-3 leaves to the secondary nursery. Prepare secondary nursery beds of 150 cm in width and convenient length. Apply cattle manure@ 5 t ha-1 as basal dose. Transplant sprouts at 30 cm x 30 cm spacing.  

Provide shade by growing bananas, Coccinia indica, or artificial pandal. Plant bananas in advance at a spacing of 2.7 m x 3.6 m when grown as a shade crop. Provide irrigation during hot and dry periods and drainage during monsoon. Periodical weeding and mulching are necessary.  

Selection of seedlings:  

Select good seedlings for transplanting in the main field when they are 12-18 months old. Selection of seedlings can be based on the selection index.  

  Note: Plant characters such as girth at the collar one year after transplanting and number of nodes two years after transplanting are highly correlated with yield. Removing plants with poor collar girth and fewer nodes one or two years after planting will help increase the yield potential of plantations.   

Field planting:  

To protect the plantation from sunburn, plant tall, quick-growing shade trees on the southern and western sides.  

Plant seedlings in pits at a spacing of 2.7 m x 2.7 m with north­ south alignment, the rows being deflected at an angle of 35° towards the west. Dig pits of size 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm and fill up with rich topsoil to a level of 15 cm from the bottom. Plant seedlings at the center of the pit, cover them with soil up to collar level and press around.    The planting will be done during May-June in well-drained soils, and during August-September in clayey soils. Bananas may be planted between rows to provide shade in the initial stages up to 4-5 years.  

Apply green leaf and compost, each ARECANUT@ 12 kg per palm per year from the first year of planting onwards, during September­ October.  

Apply N: P2O5:K2O for adult palms@ 100: 40:140 g / palm/year.   

Apply 1/3 of the dose during the first year, 2/3 during the second year, and the full dose from the third year onwards. Under irrigated conditions, apply fertilizers in two split doses, the first during September-October and the second during February. Under rain-fed conditions, apply the second dose during March-April after receiving summer rains.  

Apply manures and fertilizers from September to October in circular basins of 15-20 cm depth and with a radius of 0.75-1.0 m from the palm. Apply the second dose of fertilizers around the base of the palm after weeding and mix into the soil by light forking. In acidic soils, broadcast lime@ 0.5 kg per palm once in two or three years and incorporate into the soil by forking during March-April.  

Irrigate the palms during regular hot and dry periods depending on the soil type. 

The palms should be irrigated once in four to seven days, depending on the soil type and climatic factors. On the west coast, where the significant areas of areca nut gardens are irrigated, watering the garden once in seven- or eight-days during November-December, once in six days during January-February, and once in three to five days during March-April-May is recommended. In each irrigation, about 175 liters of water per palm are given. Where there is a shortage of water, follow drip irrigation. The application of organic mulch to the garden helps conserve soil moisture.  

Keep the garden free of weeds and break up surface crust by light forking or digging after the cessation of monsoon during October­ November. In slopes, soil erosion can be prevented by terracing. Sow seeds of green manure-cum cover crops such as Mimosa invisa, Stylosanthes gracilis, and Calapagonium muconoides in April-May with the onset of pre-monsoon rains. Cut and apply them to the palms in September-October.  

Intercropping and mixed cropping:  

Crops such as elephant foot yam, pineapple, pepper, betel vine, banana, guinea grass, cocoa, ginger, and cardamom can be grown in areca nut gardens. A spacing of 2.7 m x 5.4 m is recommended when planting cocoa. In all cases, the intercrops should be manured adequately and separately.  

1. Nitrogen Deficiency:  

Symptoms:  

The plants are stunted and generally yellow, with lower leaves most affected. Older leaves are golden yellow.  

Corrective Measures:  

Foliar application of 2% urea thrice at fortnightly intervals or soil application of 1-2 kg urea/tree.  

1. Potassium Deficiency:  

Symptoms:  

Symptoms first appear on the oldest leaves and later spread to young leaves. Translucent yellow or orange spots develop on leaflets. The tree appears yellow and Nicky, with a slender trunk and a few short leaves. Leaflets have necrotic areas along the margins, which later wither. The midrib remains alive. Yellowing is more pronounced and accompanied by irregular brown blotches along the edges of leaflets than along the midrib.  

Corrective Measures:  

Soil application of KCI 1.3 kg/tree.  

1. Calcium Deficiency:  

Symptoms:  

Abnormal growth of young leaves and growing points resembling boron deficiency severe deficiency lead to bud death.    

Corrective Measures:  

Application of gypsum 2-5 kg/tree/year.  

1. Magnesium Deficiency:  

Symptoms:  

There is a broad light-yellow band along the margin of older leaves, with the center of the leaf remaining green. In severe cases, leaflet tips may become necrotic. Older leaves become bronzed and dry. Leaflets show necrosis and turn reddish brown with translucent spots. Yellowing starts at the tip and spreads to the base.  

Corrective Measures:  

Soil application of MgSO4 1-2 kg/tree/year.    

1. Copper Deficiency:  

Symptoms:  

Reduced growth and dark green color of leaves, twin-led malformed leaves. New leaves shriveled, bushy growth.    

Corrective Measures:  

Foliar spray of CuSO4@0.5%    

1. Zinc:  

Symptoms:  

Irregular and chlorite leaf spots, mottled leaves, small leaves, severe dieback of twigs. Near the midrib and lateral veins, the area remains green—terminal twigs with narrow, erect leaves.  

 Corrective Measures:  

Soil application of ZnSO4@0.5kg/tree

Pest Control:  

 1. Mites:  

• Spray the bunches with Dimethoate at 0.05 percent or Dicofol 18.5 EC at 2.5 ml/liter can control orange-colored mites.  
• White mites (Oligonychus indicus) or Cholam adults and nymphs are present on the lower surface of leaves. The colony is found under white webs. Feed on the lower surface of areca nut leaves.  

 Remove heavily infested and dried leaves and burn them. Spray the undersurfaces of the leaves and crown with Dicofol (2 ml/liter) or Rogor (1.5 ml/liter). Repeat spraying every 15-20 days.  

2. Spindle bug (Carvalhoia arecae)  

Drenching spray with Methyl parathion 1.3 D @ 2.5 g/lit of water or Dimethoate @ 1.5 ml/lit.  

3. Inflorescence caterpillar (Tirathaba Mundell):  

Force opens the inflorescence out of the enclosing spathe and spray malathion 50 EC (250 ml in 100 liters of water), Dust Methyl parathion 20 EC 2 ml/lit, or WP @ 2.5 g in one liter of water—controls metaldehyde bait to control slugs, which predispose the inflorescence to caterpillar attack.  

4. Nematode: 

Soil application of P. fluorescens (Pfbv 22) and B. subtilis (Bbv  

57) each @ g / vine effectively reduced the root-knot and reniform nematode population in black pepper.  

5. Root grub (Leucopholis burmeisteri)  

Loosen the soil around the base of palms to a depth of 10-15 cm and drenched with chlorpyrifos 0.04 percent suspension twice, once in May just before the onset of southwest monsoon and again in September-October towards the end of the monsoon. Repeat application for 2 or 3 consecutive years to secure a complete eradication of the pest.  

or   

Applying phorate (Thimet 10G) @ 15g per palm gives effective control. Apply phorate around the plant twice a year. Before the onset of the southeast monsoon (May) and after the monsoon (October)  

 Addition of organic amendments and antifeedants (Neem or Pongamia cake)  

Disease Control:  

1. Koleroga (Mahali or fruit rot) (Phytophthora palmivora)  

Spray Bordeaux mixture 1 percent on all bunches three times a year, one just before the onset of the southwest monsoon and the rest at 40-day intervals. If monsoon season is prolonged, give a third spray. Use rosin soda adhesive to ensure the tenacity of the spray deposit on the treated substrate. Remove and burn all fallen and infected nuts.  

2. Bud rot (Phytophthora palmivora)  

Remove and destroy the affected spindle and leaves. In the early stages of infection, scoop out the affected rotten tissues by making longitudinal side splits and apply Bordeaux paste to the exposed healthy tissues or drench the crown with a 1 percent Bordeaux mixture.  

3. Basal stem rot (Anabe) (Ganoderma lucidum)  

1. Isolate-affected palms by digging trenches 60 cm deep and 30 cm wide, one meter from the base, and drench with calnexin (0.08 percent) or copper oxychloride (0.3 percent).  
2. Remove and destroy all severely affected palms and stumps of dead palms.  
3. Drench the soil with a 1 percent Bordeaux mixture before planting healthy seedlings.  
4. Discourage the growth of collateral hosts of fungi such as Delonix regia and Pongamia glabra in the vicinity of gardens.  
5. Apply neem cake at 2 kg/palm/year.  
6. Avoid flood irrigation and water flowing from infected palms to healthy palms.  

4. Yellow leaf disease:  

Together with the routine pest and disease control measures, different management strategies may be adopted to control the yellowing of areca nut grown in the following topo sequences:  

          i. Converted paddy fields  

• Provide deep drainage channels to keep the water below the root zone during monsoon.  
• 150 g lime per/palm per/year may be applied in the basin opened during February.  
• A minimum of 10 kg per/palm organic manure as farmyard manure/compost may be provided.  
• Fertilizer application may be made at 100:40:200g NPK per palm per year in two splits in February and September under irrigated conditions. A sulfur-containing fertilizer, single super phosphate, ammonium sulfate, or ammonium phosphate sulfate (Factamphos), should be used in the fertilizer schedule to include a minimum of 100g S per palm per year.  
• Magnesium sulphate@ 60 g, borax and zinc sulphate @ 20 g Per/palm per/year should be included in yellowing affected palms.  

          ii. Garden land  

• As in a converted paddy field, 150 g lime, a minimum of 10 kg organic manure, and 60 g magnesium sulfate per palm per year may be applied.  
• Fertiliser @ 100:40:250g NPK per/palm per/year in two splits in February and September, including any sulfur-containing fertilizer, to supply a minimum of 100 g S per/ palm per/year under irrigated conditions, can be adopted.  

        iii. Terraced upland  

• As in garden land, 150 g lime and a minimum of 15 kg organic manure per palm per year may be applied.  
• Fertiliser @ 100:40:250g NPK in two splits in February and September, including any sulfur-containing fertilizer source, can be adapted to supply a minimum of 100 g S/palm/year, 60 g magnesium sulfate, 20 g borax, and 20 g zinc sulfate/palm/year under irrigated conditions.  

 5. Band disease:  

Improve soil conditions by loosening hard soil strata and providing good drainage. Adopt adequate control measures against spindle bugs, mealy bugs, scales, and mites. Where the results of the above treatments are not satisfactory, apply a powdered mixture of copper sulfate and lime in equal quantities @ 225 g/palm twice a year at the base of affected palms.  

The application of borax@ 25 g/palm has been found to have an ameliorative effect.  

  6. Collar rot of seedlings:  

Improve drainage conditions in nursery beds and gardens by Drenching the spindle and base of seedlings with a 1 percent Bordeaux mixture in a disease-affected nursery or garden.  

  7. Dieback of inflorescence:  

Remove affected inflorescence immediately. Spray mancozeb (3 g 1-1) twice, one just after female flowers are set and again 15-28 days later. Aureofungin sol at 100 ppm concentration is also effective in controlling the disease.  

 8. Stem bleeding:  

Palms in the 10-15-year age group are more prone to this disease. Symptoms appear on the basal portion of the stem as small, discolored depressions. Later, these spots coalesce, and cracks develop on the stem, disintegrating the fibrous tissues. With the progress of the disease, brown exudate oozes out from these cracks. A high-water table predisposes the palm to this disease.  

Improvement of drainage and root feeding of 125 ml trimorph (1.5 percent) is suggested as a control measure against this disease.  

9. Leaf spot:  

Foliar spray with Bordeaux mixture 1 % or 0.2 % Dithane M 45.   

Other Disorder Control: 

 1. Nut splitting:  

This can be considered a physiological disorder rather than a disease. Palms in the 10-25 age group are more susceptible.  

Symptoms are premature yellowing of the nuts when they are half to three-fourths mature. Later splits develop at the tips, which extend longitudinally, exposing the kernel. Sometimes, kernels also show splitting and malformation. Rarely does the kernel inside exhibit splitting without visual symptoms on the husk, resulting in nut fall. Hypernutrition or sudden flush of water after a drought or insufficient moisture in the soil is the probable cause.  (s) of the disease.  

Improvement of drainage in ill-drained gardens and spraying of borax@ 2 g 1-1 of water have effectively reduced the disease incidence.  

  2. Sun scorch:  

Protect palms from the southwest sun by wrapping stems with an areca sheath or whitewashing the exposed portion. Reinforce palms showing stem fissures. Grow tall, quick-growing trees on the southern and western sides of the garden.  

• Harvest:  

The bearing starts after 5 years of planting. Nuts are harvested when they are three-quarters ripe. Depending on the season and place of cultivation, the number of harvests will vary from three to five in one year.  

•  Yield:  

Depending upon variety, an average of about 1,100 to 1,400 kg/ha can be obtained.