Sumangala
A tall CPCRI selection from an Indonesian accession. It gave 64% more than South Kanara Local and meets the standard for both dried kernel (chali) and raw nut for chewing. It is also the male parent of the dwarf hybrid VTLAH-1.
Quick facts
- Type
- Seedling (selected seed nut)
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- First flowers 42–46 months after planting, under irrigation (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
- 3.28 kg dry kernel/palm/year (3,900–4,350 kg/ha); potential 5.60 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 Indonesia in 1957 as accession VTL 11; 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
Sumangala is a tall arecanut selection from ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Regional Station, Vittal. It was chosen from VTL 11, an accession introduced from Indonesia 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, a medium-thick stem and many bunches, and the ripe nuts are yellow to orange and oval. It gave 64% more than South Kanara Local, with a trial mean of 3.28 kg dry kernel a palm a year at ten years of age (3,900 to 4,350 kg a hectare) and a potential of 5.60 kg. Flower initiation is at 42 to 46 months under irrigation. CPCRI lists it as relatively tolerant to water-limited conditions and says the quality meets the standard for chali and for raw chewing nut.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Sumangala when you want a tall palm with a long record. CPCRI released it in 1985 after it gave 64% more than South Kanara Local, with a trial mean of 3.28 kg dry kernel a palm and a potential of 5.60 kg. CPCRI also lists it as relatively tolerant to water-limited conditions, though it still needs irrigation in the dry months. Do not choose it for the earliest flowering (42 to 46 months, against 36 to 40 for Mangala) or the top yield (Swarnamangala gave 3.88 kg and Mohitnagar 3.67 kg).
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 42 to 46 months after planting, under irrigation.
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Gave 64% more than South Kanara Local, with a trial mean of 3.28 kg dry kernel a palm
- Relatively tolerant to water-limited conditions, and no major disease or pest seen in CPCRI trials
- Meets the standard for both chali and raw chewing nut
Things to consider
- Flowers 42 to 46 months after planting, later than Mangala (36 to 40)
- Gave less than Mohitnagar (3.67 kg) and Swarnamangala (3.88 kg) in CPCRI trials
- The 3.28 kg is an average at ten years of age, so young palms give less
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
- Kerala
Reading Sumangala's yield numbers before you budget
CPCRI gives three different numbers for Sumangala, and they answer different questions. The first is 3.28 kg of dry kernel a palm a year, the trial mean, which the older leaflet says is the average at ten years of age. The second is 5.60 kg, the potential. The third is 3,900 to 4,350 kg a hectare, the mean per hectare.
Do not multiply the first by 1,370 palms. That gives about 4,500 kg, which is above CPCRI's own per-hectare range, because a real garden has gaps, young palms and weak ones. Use 3,900 to 4,350 kg a hectare for the budget, and treat 5.60 kg as what the best-managed palms can reach, not what to expect.
The 64% over South Kanara Local is also easy to misread. It compares Sumangala with a local type that gives about 2.0 kg of chali, so it tells you the gain over your old palms, not over other CPCRI releases. Against Mohitnagar (3.67 kg) and Swarnamangala (3.88 kg) Sumangala gave less.
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 |
| Sreemangala | 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 |
| Sumangalathis page | 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
Is Sumangala only for dried chali, or can I sell raw nut too?
CPCRI lists its purpose as high dry kernel yield and high recovery of chali, and says the quality meets the standard for chali (dried kernel) and for raw nut for chewing. So it is not limited to chali. Check what your own buyer pays for before you decide.
What does the 64% over South Kanara Local mean in kilos?
The CPCRI leaflet gives South Kanara Local as about 2.0 kg of chali a palm a year. Sumangala's 3.28 kg is 64% above that. The 3.28 kg is the average at ten years of age, so younger palms give less. The per-hectare figure in the variety compilation is 3,900 to 4,350 kg, which is the safer number to budget with.
When does Sumangala flower?
CPCRI records flower initiation at 42 to 46 months after planting under irrigated conditions. The leaflet says palms flower in 4 to 5 years under good management. Both mean you wait longer than for Mangala.
Where does Sumangala come from?
It was selected from VTL 11, an accession introduced from Indonesia in 1957, and recommended for release by the CPCRI Institute Research Council in 1985. It is recommended for areca-growing areas of Karnataka and Kerala. It is also the male parent of the dwarf hybrid VTLAH-1.
How often should I irrigate Sumangala?
The Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development gives hose irrigation once in 4 to 7 days at 175 litres a palm each time, or drip irrigation at 20 litres a palm a day, for arecanut in the dry season. CPCRI calls Sumangala relatively tolerant to water-limited conditions, but that is a margin, not a reason to skip the dry-season irrigation.
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.