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Best Coconut research

From the RDE Network PCRDF Selects best coconut researches

BAR Digest, July 1999

The Philippine Coconut Research and Development Foundation (PCRDF) has selected this year’s three best research papers on coconut. The selection was announced at the annual convention of the Federation of Crop Science Society of the Philippines (FCSSP) last May in General Santos.

A member of the FCSSP, the PCRDF sponsored the coconut session of the annual meet.

The Best Paper Award went to Biological Studies of the Coconut Mealybug in Palawan authored by Mateo Sipagan of PCA Albay Research Center.

Second place went to Leaf Pruning Technique in Bearing Coconut Palms (CLP): Its Effect on Underplanting Young Coconuts for Pith or ‘Ubod’ Production jointly authored by Gerardo Padrones, Millicent Secretaria and Severino Magat of the PCA Davao Research Center, Bago Oshiro Davao City.

The third best paper was Up-take and Metabolism 0/2.4 Coconut Inflorescence and Calii of O. D Orense and R. Hornung. The winners received monetary prizes and certificates.

Researchers on crop science present their outstanding research papers during the Federation’s annual conventions, which are also when agricultural societies get together.

Leaf Pruning Technique in Bearing Coconut Palms (CLP): Its Effect on Underplanting Young Coconuts for Pith or ‘Ubod’ Production
by Gerardo Padrones, Severino Magat and Millicent Secretaria
(Awarded Second Best Research Paper on Coconut by the Federation of Crop Science Society of the Philippines)

The feasibility and viability of producing coconut pith or ubod from young coconuts planted either in a single or double plants per hill under pruned (CLP maintaining 18 younger leaves of upper crown) or non-pruned bearing palms was studied at 1he Philippine Coconut Authority-Davao Research Center. Bago Oshiro Davao City. Results showed that the number of leaves produced by young coconut was significantly affected by leaf pruning with higher number of leaves produced under pruned coconut than those under non-pruned coconut. On the other hand, nut and copra production of bearing palms was not significantly affected by leaf pruning.

Significantly, bigger girth and more number of leaves were produced from single planting (SP) of young coconut per hill than double planting (DP) scheme. Consequently, longer and heavier fresh weight of ubod (average of 6.8 kg/palm; range 3.3-10.7 kg) was obtained from single planting than that from double planting scheme (average of 5.9 kg/palm; range 2.8-9.4 kg) on the first year of ubod harvest. However, on a per ha basis, yield of ubod from single planting was lower than double planting mainly due to the number of plants per hill. The total ubod yields for single and double planting were 4.9 t and 8.9 t/ha.

Under the Davao growing condition, cost and return analysis of ubod production in single plant per hill scheme indicated a total net income of P68, 624 per ha in 4 years with a return on investment (ROI) of 163%. In double planting scheme, average ubod yield valued at P129, 030 or an average of P32, 258/year/ha with an ROI of 180%. Considering copra plus ubod production from these two planting schemes, the cumulative net incomes and ROI obtained were P180, 736; P242, 389.6 and 202%; 203% for single and double planting respectively.

Based on the results of this study with modest fertilizer application of ammonium sulfate plus common salt (NaCl), underplanting of one or two young coconuts per hill at 3×3 m distance between spacer of bearing coconut palms harvested at three years from field-planting is more profitable and viable production scheme to increase farm productivity even without leaf pruning of old plants. The farm income with this coconut-based production is increased by 160% to 210% compared to coconut monocropping.

Coal making

Making coals from Cocos through charcoal brick kiln

by Ellaine Grace L. Nagpala

Coconut (Cocos nucifera) remains to be the top cultivated crop in the Philippines. Out of the 12 million hectares of farmlands in the country, 3.1 million hectares of it is devoted to coconut production. With the vast size of farmland devoted to coconut farming, it can be said that a large percentage of the country’s population still depends on coconut for their living.

Over 3.5 million coconut farmers are widely distributed in different parts of the country, mostly in Southern Luzon and in different parts of Mindanao.

To help the coconut farmers gain extra income while attending to their farm activities, the group of Engineer Rosella B. Villaruel of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in Region X1 came up with a charcoal brick kiln where coconut shells can be turned into quality charcoals.

What are kilns?
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber used to harden, burn or dry materials, it could be utilized in drying and heating wood to produce firewood and charcoal, or in firing-materials used in ceramic-making.

Traditional means
Kilns were first utilized in Bago Oshiro, Davao City under the Philippine-German Coconut Project (PGCP) in 1995.

In the Philippines, charcoals are traditionally produced using drum kilns where a standard oil drum with an approximate capacity of 55 gallons is used. With the use of a drum kiln, charcoals can be produced from 600 pieces of split coconut shells. However, charcoal workers encountered problems with regards to the operation, durability and efficiency of the drum kiln.

The charcoal brick kiln
The batch type brick kiln was fabricated as an alternative to the traditional methods of charcoal production and to ease the operations in charcoal making of the charcoal workers.

The brick kiln is made of 2”x4”x8” standard rectangular bricks, constructed in a dome-shape. The kiln’s dome structure is for the purpose of optimal carbonization process. Its inside has a base diameter of 1.2 meters and a net height of 1.10 meters with an approximate volume of 0.73 cubic meters. This prototype kiln can accommodate approximately 3,000 pieces of average split shells. This could be increased if the shells are semi-crushed.

The charcoals produced by the kiln from the coco shell wood passed the standard of a good quality charcoal which possesses a fixed carbon content of 86.5%, ash of 1.4%, volatile combustible matter of 9.6% and 2.5% moisture content.

The charcoal brick kiln is expected to last for five years or more with an initial investment of PhP 4,100 while the drum kiln has a serviceable life span of six months to one year, with each drum costing PhP 500.

User-friendly
One problem encountered by the charcoal workers with the drum kiln is its difficulty to operate. Since metals are strong conductors of heat, the drum kiln becomes difficult to handle as it turns very hot during the process.

Moreover, the smoke being emitted under the drum becomes a nuisance to the workers. As such, the brick kiln was designed to be user- friendly.

Bricks being resistors of heat makes the charcoal brick kiln easier to operate. The kiln was also designed in such a way that it will suppress the heat pressure inside and prevent it form leaking outside the kiln. In this way, the kiln will be convenient for the operators as they will no longer have trouble with the heat coming from the kiln. Also, the smoke coming from the kiln not be a problem for the workers since a ‘nose’ for the emission of smoke is included in the structure which is strategically placed at the top of the kiln. This way, it will be easier for the operators to recharge the kilns.

Time saving
The proper procedure for making good quality charcoals only requires 16 percent of the total time to produce charcoals with the brick kiln as compared to the drum kiln which requires 90 percent operation time.

With the charcoal brick kiln, 74 percent time more will be saved in charcoal making. For a farmer who needs to attend to his farm and his family, and his other chores, the 74 percent time that can be saved means more time to attend to his tasks.

In general, this implies that the kiln is not only designed to increase the capacity of charcoal produced but also for the benefit of the worker.

———-
This article was based on ‘A comparative study between batch type brick kilns and drum kilns using decision tree analysis’ by Engineer Rose B. Villaruel and Mr. Kalvin Mesias Balucanag of the Philippine Coconut Authority in Region XI. The Batch Type Brick Kiln was funded by the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology.

http://www.bar.gov.ph/bardigest/aprjun07_makingcoals.asp

SWEETENED CONDENSED COCO MILK

Raw Materials:

Grated coconut milk

Refined white sugar

Agar-agar or 1/4 bar gulaman

Equipment/Utensils:

Mixing bowl/basin

Measuring cup

Plastic container

Measuring spoon

Wooden spatula

Double boiler

Procedure:

Cream is extracted from the grated coconut meat by pressing. The “sapal” or residue Continue reading “SWEETENED CONDENSED COCO MILK”

How to make Coco Kropeck – Coco Kropeck Business

COCO KROPECK

Materials needed:

2 cups rice flour

½ cup coconut meal

½ tbsp. salt

3 cups water

½ tsp. Vetsin

Procedure:

1. Steam the coconut sapal for 10-15 minutes.

2. Mix all ingredients.

3. Pour in greased aluminum trays.

4. Place in a dryer at a temperature of 60-65° C or under the sun.

5. Remove from the trays and pack in plastic bags.

6. Before serving, deep fry in hot oil.

Source:ITDI
picture from: bic.searca.org

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Best Coconut research

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SWEETENED CONDENSED COCO MILK

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