Sreemangala
A tall CPCRI selection from a Singapore accession with bold, round nuts, long internodes and a stem CPCRI calls sturdy. It gave 59% more than South Kanara Local. No wind or lodging trial was found.
Quick facts
- Type
- Seedling (selected seed nut)
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- First flowers 44–48 months after planting (CPCRI)
- Seed rate
- One nursery seedling a pit, not seed in the field. About 1,370 palms a hectare at 2.7 x 2.7 m, or about 920 at 3.3 x 3.3 m in a mixed garden (DASD).
- Expected yield
- 3.18 kg dry kernel/palm/year (4,240–4,500 kg/ha); potential 5.40 kg
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Climate
- Arecanut can be grown up to about 1,000 m above sea level (DASD).
- Disease resistance
- No major disease or pest seen in CPCRI trials; relatively tolerant to water-limited conditions
- Release
- Introduced from Singapore in 1957 as accession VTL-17; recommended for release by the CPCRI Institute Research Council in 1985
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Sreemangala is a tall arecanut selection from ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Regional Station, Vittal. It was chosen from VTL-17, an accession introduced from Singapore in 1957, and recommended for release in 1985 for the areca-growing areas of Karnataka and Kerala. The palm is tall with a partly drooping crown, long internodes and a stem CPCRI calls sturdy, and it carries round, bold nuts. It gave 59% more than South Kanara Local, with a trial mean of 3.18 kg dry kernel a palm a year (4,240 to 4,500 kg a hectare) and a potential of 5.40 kg. Flower initiation is at 44 to 48 months and yield settles at a medium pace. CPCRI lists it as relatively tolerant to water-limited conditions. Its 1999 leaflet says the nuts are used only for chali, while the later variety compilation says they also meet the raw chewing-nut standard.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Sreemangala if chali is your product and bold, round nuts suit your buyer. CPCRI released it in 1985, after it gave 59% more than South Kanara Local, with a trial mean of 3.18 kg dry kernel a palm. Its stem is described as sturdy with long internodes, but we found no wind or lodging trial, so treat that as a description and not a result. Do not choose it for the highest yield. Sumangala (3.28 kg), Mohitnagar (3.67 kg) and Swarnamangala (3.88 kg) all gave more, and the 1999 CPCRI leaflet says Sreemangala nuts are used only for chali.
Sowing & cultivation
- Seed rateOne nursery seedling a pit, not seed in the field. About 1,370 palms a hectare at 2.7 x 2.7 m, or about 920 at 3.3 x 3.3 m in a mixed garden (DASD).
- Spacing2.7 x 2.7 m; 3.3 x 3.3 m when arecanut is grown as a mixed crop (DASD).
- IrrigationDry season: hose irrigation once in 4 to 7 days at 175 litres a palm, or drip at 20 litres a palm a day (DASD).
- Fertilizer100 g N, 40 g P2O5 and 140 g K2O a palm a year, with 12 kg green leaf, compost or FYM, in 2 equal splits in April to May and September to October. Give 1/3 of the dose in the first year, 2/3 in the second year and all of it from the third year (DASD).
- HarvestingFlower initiation 44 to 48 months after planting.
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Gave 59% more than South Kanara Local, with round, bold nuts
- Long internodes and a stem CPCRI calls sturdy
- Relatively tolerant to water-limited conditions, and no major disease or pest seen in CPCRI trials
Things to consider
- Gave less than Sumangala (3.28 kg), Mohitnagar (3.67 kg) and Swarnamangala (3.88 kg) in CPCRI trials
- Flowers 44 to 48 months after planting and yield settles at a medium pace
- No wind or lodging trial was found, so the sturdy stem is a description, not a result
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
- Kerala
The sturdy stem: what is recorded and what is not
CPCRI describes Sreemangala as a tall palm with long internodes and a sturdy stem. That is a description of the plant, and it is the reason this variety is often suggested for windy gardens. We found no CPCRI trial that measured lean, breakage or wind loss, so there is no figure behind that suggestion.
Its numbers are plain. The trial mean is 3.18 kg dry kernel a palm (4,240 to 4,500 kg a hectare), 59% over South Kanara Local. Flower initiation is at 44 to 48 months and yield settles at a medium pace. It is the lowest-yielding of the 1985 and 1991 tall releases here.
If wind is your real worry, test it. Plant 20 Sreemangala palms next to 20 of Sumangala on the exposed side of your garden and look after both the same way. After the second monsoon, count how many lean or snap in each group, and only then decide how much of the garden to plant with it.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This is an open-pollinated variety, so seed from a healthy crop of your own can be sown again. Keep seed only from disease-free plants, dry it properly, store it cool and dry, and bring in fresh certified seed every three to four years so the variety does not drift.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Arecanut (Supari) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahikuchi | Assam and Meghalaya farmers who want the variety both CPCRI and the Assam package recommend | First flowers 50–52 months after planting; bearing by the 5th year (CPCRI, AAU) | 3.70 kg dry kernel/palm/year (5,073 kg/ha); potential 5.30 kg | Assam, Meghalaya |
| Mangala | Farmers who want the earliest flowering and can irrigate, in an open garden | First flowers 36–40 months after planting (CPCRI) | 2.90 kg dry kernel/palm/year (3,700–3,900 kg/ha); potential 4.50 kg | Karnataka, Kerala |
| Mohitnagar | North Bengal farmers, and anyone who wants uniform palms that settle into steady yield early | First flowers 48 months after planting (CPCRI) | 3.67 kg dry kernel/palm/year (5,030 kg/ha); potential 5.50 kg | West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala |
| Sreemangalathis page | Farmers who sell dried chali and want bold, round nuts | First flowers 44–48 months after planting (CPCRI) | 3.18 kg dry kernel/palm/year (4,240–4,500 kg/ha); potential 5.40 kg | Karnataka, Kerala |
| Sumangala | Farmers who want a well-tested tall palm that copes better with dry spells | First flowers 42–46 months after planting, under irrigation (CPCRI) | 3.28 kg dry kernel/palm/year (3,900–4,350 kg/ha); potential 5.60 kg | Karnataka, Kerala |
| Swarnamangala | Farmers who can irrigate and want the best average yield and recovery among CPCRI's tall releases | First flowers about 46 months after planting, under irrigation (CPCRI) | 3.88 kg dry kernel/palm/year (5,320 kg/ha); potential 5.50 kg | Karnataka, Kerala |
| VTLAH-1 | Farmers who want a short, easy-to-harvest palm, can irrigate and accept a lower yield per palm | First flowers 45 months after planting (CPCRI) | 2.54 kg dry kernel/palm/year (3,100–3,400 kg/ha); potential 3.20 kg | Karnataka, Kerala |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Arecanut (Supari) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Arecanut (Supari) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Arecanut (Supari) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Arecanut (Supari) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Arecanut (Supari) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Arecanut (Supari) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Sreemangala yield?
The CPCRI compilation gives a trial mean of 3.18 kg dry kernel a palm a year, which is 4,240 to 4,500 kg a hectare, and a potential of 5.40 kg (7,100 to 7,300 kg a hectare). The older leaflet says the same 3.18 kg and 59% over South Kanara Local. Use the per-hectare mean for your budget.
Can I sell Sreemangala as raw chewing nut?
The two CPCRI documents disagree a little. The 1999 leaflet says the nuts are used only for chali making. The later variety compilation says the quality meets the standard for chali and for raw nut for chewing. If you want to sell raw, test a small lot with your buyer first.
When does Sreemangala flower?
CPCRI records flower initiation at 44 to 48 months after planting, and the leaflet says 4 to 5 years. It also lists yield stabilisation as medium, slower than Mangala and Mohitnagar. Expect your first full crop to come later than from those two.
Where does Sreemangala come from?
It was selected from VTL-17, an areca accession introduced from Singapore in 1957, and recommended for release by the CPCRI Institute Research Council in 1985. The recommended area is Karnataka and Kerala. CPCRI also lists it as relatively tolerant to water-limited conditions.
What disease should I watch for in Sreemangala?
CPCRI saw no major disease or pest attack in its field trials, and advises protective measures against fruit rot in areas where it is common. Fruit rot (koleroga) is the monsoon problem in most arecanut gardens, so keep a spray plan ready. The koleroga section of the arecanut crop guide covers it.
Sourced from: Improved varieties of coconut, arecanut and cocoa — ICAR-CPCRI (variety records, yields, flowering), Arecanut varieties — ICAR-CPCRI Regional Station, Vittal, extension leaflet (1999), Calendar for arecanut — Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development, Technical Bulletin 67 (spacing, fertiliser, irrigation). editorial policy.