LeafPruningTechniqueinBearingCoconutsItsEffecton：在轴承椰子对叶片修剪技术.docVIP

LEAF PRUNING TECHNIQUE IN BEARING COCONUTS: ITS EFFECT ON UNDERPLANTING YOUNG COCONUTS FOR PITH OR UBOD PRODUCTION G.D. Padrones, M.I. Secretaria, and S.S. Magat INTRODUCTION Coconut is known as the “tree of life” because of its diversified products and by-products that support human life. Example of these is a food product locally known as ubod or coconut pith. This food item commands a considerable price in the market today because of its many uses. With modern food processing facilities, this terminal bud or coconut cabbage could be preserved (canned or bottled) and marketed locally and internationally as a food delicacy. Thampan (1975) referred to this preserved food item as the “millionaire’s salad.” With the need for research and development on sustainable coconut farming, a research study on planting young coconuts under bearing palms with and without leaf pruning for ubod or pith production was undertaken. This system/strategy provides an alternative source for ubod, thus, preventing the indiscriminate cutting of productive coconut trees for such food purpose. The main objective of the study was to assess the feasibility of planting young coconuts under full-bearing palms with and without leaf pruning for ubod or pith production. Specifically, the study aimed to: 1) assess the performance of young coconuts planted in either single or in double plants per hill for ubod production under bearing palms with and without leaf pruning and 2) determine the cost and return of this production strategy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Experimental site The study was conducted at the Davao Research Center using a Tugbok clay loam reddish brown residual soil (Tropudalf soil taxonomy) with good external and internal drainage. The area has an elevation ranging from 120 m to 140 m above sea level. Benchmark soil analysis showed an average of pH of 6.5, exchangeable magnesium at 5.3 m.e./100 g soil, potassium at 0.45 m.e., calcium at 11.4 m.e., sodium at 0.08 m.e., and ba