VTLAH-1
A CPCRI dwarf hybrid (Hirehalli Dwarf x Sumangala) with a sturdy stem and reduced canopy, for irrigated gardens in Karnataka. It yields less than the tall selections (2.54 kg against 3.28 kg for Sumangala) and economic life is up to 30 years.
Quick facts
- Type
- Dwarf hybrid seedling
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- First flowers 45 months after planting (CPCRI)
- Seed rate
- One nursery seedling a pit, not seed in the field. Dwarf cultivars and hybrids can go at 2.2 x 2.2 m, about 2,070 palms a hectare (DASD). Buy true hybrid seedlings only.
- Expected yield
- 2.54 kg dry kernel/palm/year (3,100–3,400 kg/ha); potential 3.20 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; guard against fruit rot where it is common
- Release
- Recommended for release by the CPCRI Institute Research Council in 2004 and a zonal research and extension group meeting at Brahmavar in 2007
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
VTLAH-1 is a dwarf arecanut hybrid from ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Regional Station, Vittal, made by crossing Hirehalli Dwarf (VTL 56) as the female parent with Sumangala as the male parent. The CPCRI Institute Research Council recommended it in 2004 and a zonal group meeting at Brahmavar in 2007, for the areca-growing areas of Karnataka. The palm is dwarf with a sturdy stem, closely set nodes, a partly drooping crown and a reduced canopy. The nuts are yellow, medium sized and round to oval, with high chali recovery and early settling of yield. Flower initiation is at 45 months. The trial mean is 2.54 kg dry kernel a palm a year (3,100 to 3,400 kg a hectare) with a potential of 3.20 kg, which is lower than the tall selections. Economic yield can last up to 30 years. CPCRI recommends it for irrigated conditions.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose VTLAH-1 only if a dwarf palm is worth a lower yield. CPCRI's trial mean is 2.54 kg dry kernel a palm (3,100 to 3,400 kg a hectare), against 3.28 kg (3,900 to 4,350 kg) for Sumangala, one of its parents. Closer planting at 2.2 x 2.2 m does not close the gap in CPCRI's per-hectare figures. The old claim that it matches or beats the tall types is not supported, so we have removed it. Buy only true hybrid seedlings, since the seed is made by crossing Hirehalli Dwarf with Sumangala. CPCRI recommends it for irrigated gardens in Karnataka.
Sowing & cultivation
- Seed rateOne nursery seedling a pit, not seed in the field. Dwarf cultivars and hybrids can go at 2.2 x 2.2 m, about 2,070 palms a hectare (DASD). Buy true hybrid seedlings only.
- Spacing2.2 x 2.2 m for dwarf cultivars and hybrids (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 45 months after planting; economic yield for up to 30 years; CPCRI recommends irrigated conditions.
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- A dwarf palm with a sturdy stem and reduced canopy, which CPCRI says suits closer planting at 2.2 x 2.2 m
- Yield settles early, with high chali recovery from fresh nuts
- Flowers 45 months after planting and no major disease or pest was seen in CPCRI trials
Things to consider
- The trial mean (2.54 kg dry kernel a palm) is about 23% below Sumangala (3.28 kg), and the per-hectare figure is lower too
- It is a controlled cross, so buy only true hybrid seedlings and check the seedling size (about 56 cm at 12 months)
- Economic life is up to 30 years, against 45 years for Kahikuchi, and CPCRI recommends it for irrigated conditions
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
- Kerala
Hybrid seed: buy the cross, and check the seedling
VTLAH-1 is a cross: Hirehalli Dwarf as the female parent and Sumangala as the male. CPCRI says large-scale seed production needs parental blocks of both, and that choosing the typical hybrid seedlings in the nursery is a must. The word on a nursery tag is not proof of the cross.
CPCRI gives a way to check. A 12-month VTLAH-1 seedling has 6 leaves, a collar girth of about 7.10 cm and a height of about 56 cm. Tall selections at the same age stand much higher: 82 cm for Mangala, 118 cm for Sumangala and 122 cm for Mohitnagar. A seedling of 100 cm or more sold as a dwarf hybrid is not what CPCRI describes.
Be clear about what you are buying, too. The reward is a dwarf palm with a sturdy stem and reduced canopy, easier to harvest and spaced at 2.2 x 2.2 m. The price is 2.54 kg a palm, against 3.28 kg for Sumangala, and economic life of up to 30 years, not 45.
Where the planting material comes from
This is a hybrid, so seed kept from your own harvest will not breed true. The next crop comes up uneven in height, maturity and yield. Buy fresh certified seed every season and keep the bag tag until harvest.
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 |
| 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-1this page | 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.
- Germination CalculatorTest 100 seeds from the bag before sowing and see whether the lot is fit to sow.
- 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 less does VTLAH-1 yield than the tall palms?
The CPCRI compilation gives a trial mean of 2.54 kg dry kernel a palm (3,100 to 3,400 kg a hectare) and a potential of 3.20 kg (4,200 to 4,400 kg a hectare). An older CPCRI leaflet gives 2.55 kg. That is about 23% below Sumangala's 3.28 kg. What you get in return is a short palm with a reduced canopy and a sturdy stem.
What spacing suits a dwarf hybrid like VTLAH-1?
The Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development says dwarf cultivars and hybrids may be grown at 2.2 x 2.2 m, against 2.7 x 2.7 m for ordinary palms. That is about 2,070 palms a hectare, against about 1,370. More palms need more water: drip at 20 litres a palm a day is about 41,000 litres a day for a hectare.
How long does a VTLAH-1 palm give a crop?
CPCRI says economic yield can be realised up to 30 years, depending on management. That is shorter than the 45 years it gives for Kahikuchi. Flower initiation is at 45 months and yield settles early. Plan to replant sooner than you would with a tall type.
Can I collect seed nuts from my VTLAH-1 palms to plant?
We would not. VTLAH-1 is made by crossing Hirehalli Dwarf (female) with Sumangala (male). CPCRI says large-scale hybrid seed needs parental blocks of both, and that typical hybrid seedlings must be picked out in the nursery. Nuts from a hybrid palm are not that controlled cross, and we found no CPCRI figure for their seedlings. Buy from a source that makes the cross.
What about VTLAH-2?
VTLAH-2 is the second CPCRI dwarf hybrid, from Hirehalli Dwarf crossed with Mohitnagar. The CPCRI leaflet gives its mean as 2.64 kg of chali a palm, close to the 2.55 kg it gives for VTLAH-1. We do not have a separate page for it. If a nursery offers it, ask for the parentage, since both hybrids should come with a named cross.
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.