Chowghat Orange Dwarf (COD)
An early-flowering orange dwarf released by CPCRI in 1991 for tender-nut water. It averages 63–65 nuts a year and does not suit high-wind or drought-prone sites.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Coconut
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- Kharif
- Starts bearing
- Flowers in 3–4 years
- Expected yield
- 63–65 nuts per palm per year
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- No disease rating published; avoid high-wind and drought-prone sites (TNAU)
- Release
- Released by ICAR-CPCRI in 1991 for large-scale cultivation as a tender-nut variety in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Chowghat Orange Dwarf (COD) is a dwarf coconut released by ICAR-CPCRI in 1991 for large-scale cultivation as a tender-nut variety in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It flowers in 3 to 4 years. CPCRI gives an average of 63 nuts per palm per year, TNAU 65, with 150 g of copra per nut and 66% oil. It is best suited to tender-nut water. The palm has a thin stem with closely arranged leaf scars and a small, compact crown, and its petioles, inflorescences and nuts are orange. TNAU says to avoid high-wind and drought-prone areas, and to provide shelterbelts if you plant in a windy place. COD is also a parent of the hybrids Kera Sankara and Chandra Sankara.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Chowghat Orange Dwarf if you sell tender nuts and can irrigate in summer. It flowers in 3 to 4 years and is released by CPCRI for tender-nut water. Do not plant it on a windy ridge or in drought-prone land without shelterbelts and water. It gives only 63 to 65 nuts a year, so for more nuts per palm look at Chandra Sankara (116) or Kera Sankara (108), both of which have COD as a parent.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timePlant seedlings in Tamil Nadu in June–July or December–January, in Kerala in May with the pre-monsoon rain (September in low-lying areas), and in Karnataka in May–June (TNAU)
- IrrigationFor the first two years, give 45 litres per seedling once in 4 days in the dry months. Summer irrigation raises nut yield (TNAU)
- HarvestingTender nuts are cut at 7–8 months; mature nuts at 12 months. Seed nuts of dwarfs and hybrids should be sown within 10–15 days of harvest (TNAU)
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Deep, well-drained red sandy loam, laterite or alluvial soil, at least 1.5 m deep (1.2 m is the minimum); avoid shallow, hard-rock or waterlogged ground (TNAU)
- pH
- 5.2–8.6
Climate
- Temperature
- 20–32°C; a mean annual temperature of 27°C is best
- Rainfall
- 1000 mm if well spread through the year, up to 3000 mm with good drainage
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Released by CPCRI in 1991 as a tender-nut variety, with the best fit of the dwarfs here for tender-nut water.
- Flowers early, in 3 to 4 years, among the quickest-bearing coconut types compared here.
- A parent of the hybrids Kera Sankara and Chandra Sankara, so seed and planting material are well known in Kerala.
Things to consider
- TNAU says to avoid high-wind and drought-prone areas, and to plant shelterbelts if the site is windy.
- At 63 to 65 nuts a year it gives fewer nuts than the hybrids Kera Sankara (108) and Chandra Sankara (116).
- A dwarf lives 40 to 50 years against 80 to 90 for a tall, per TNAU. Plan to replant sooner.
- No disease rating is published for it.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Kerala
- Karnataka
- Tamil Nadu
Plan the tender-nut round: 7 to 8 months, not 12
For copra, TNAU says nuts are cut at 12 months, at intervals of 30 to 45 days. For tender-nut water, nuts are harvested at 7 to 8 months. That is the whole reason a dwarf like COD is grown for the tender-nut trade.
It changes how you plan. A bunch that you want as tender nuts is cut about 4 to 5 months earlier than the same bunch would be for copra. Mark the bunch when it sets, so the picker cuts at 7 to 8 months and not later. Late tender nuts are harder to sell as tender nuts.
The yield is modest, 63 to 65 nuts per palm per year. So the income depends on selling each nut at the tender-nut price, not on volume. Fix your outlet first: a roadside stall, a juice vendor or a hotel buyer. Then plant for that outlet's weekly demand.
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 Coconut variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandra Sankara (Dwarf × Tall hybrid) | The highest-yielding CPCRI hybrid here, for farms that can irrigate in summer | Bears in 3–4 years (TNAU) | 116 nuts per palm per year (range 100–150) | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| Chowghat Orange Dwarf (COD)this page | Tender-nut water: an early-flowering orange dwarf for sheltered, irrigated plots | Flowers in 3–4 years | 63–65 nuts per palm per year | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| East Coast Tall | The standard east-coast tall palm, for copra where the soil is deep and well-drained | Bears from year 6–8 (TNAU) | About 70 nuts per palm per year (TNAU) | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal |
| Ganga Bondam Dwarf | A mother parent for hybrids such as Keraganga, rather than a palm to plant pure | Bears in 4–5 years | High (tender) | Kerala, Karnataka |
| Kera Sankara | An early-bearing tall × dwarf hybrid with heavy nuts, for rainfed or irrigated planting | Bears by the 4th year | 108 nuts per palm per year (range 70–130) | Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| Malayan Dwarf | A parent palm for hybrids, not a variety to plant on its own without local advice | Bears in 4–5 years | High (tender) | Kerala |
| West Coast Tall | The long-lived, all-soil tall palm of the west coast, for copra and oil | Bears from year 6–7 (TNAU); a tall palm lives 80–90 years | About 80 nuts per palm per year on average (TNAU); 74–90 under normal management | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka |
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 Coconut is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Coconut plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Coconut variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Coconut into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Coconut rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Coconut seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chowghat Orange Dwarf coconut mainly used for?
Tender-coconut water production, and as a parent variety in hybrid development such as Kera Sankara (WCT x COD).
How many nuts does Chowghat Orange Dwarf give per year?
CPCRI gives an average of 63 nuts per palm per year, and TNAU 65. These are averages for the variety.
When does Chowghat Orange Dwarf start bearing?
3-4 years after planting — among the quickest-bearing coconut types.
What does a Chowghat Orange Dwarf palm look like?
A thin stem with closely arranged leaf scars, a small compact crown, and characteristic orange colour on leaf petioles, inflorescences and nuts, which are medium-sized and round.
Is Chowghat Orange Dwarf disease-resistant?
No disease rating is published for it by CPCRI or TNAU. What TNAU does say is to avoid high-wind and drought-prone areas, and to provide shelterbelts if you plant in a windy place.
When should I pick Chowghat Orange Dwarf nuts for tender-nut water?
TNAU says tender nuts are harvested when they are 7 to 8 months old, against 12 months for copra. CPCRI lists COD as best suited to tender-nut water.
Where should I not plant Chowghat Orange Dwarf?
TNAU says to avoid high-wind areas and drought-prone regions. If you must plant in a windy place, provide good shelterbelts so wind damage is limited.
What are the local names of Chowghat Orange Dwarf?
TNAU records that it is known as Gowrigathram or Chenthangu in Kerala and as Kenthali in Karnataka. Check the name with the nursery, because the same palm may be sold under any of these.
How long does a dwarf coconut palm live?
TNAU gives an average life span of 40 to 50 years for dwarf palms, against 80 to 90 for tall ones. Dwarfs also flower from about the third year. Plan to replant a dwarf block roughly twice in the time a tall block lasts.
Sourced from: Varieties and hybrids developed — ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Coconut varieties — TNAU Agritech Portal, Expert System for Coconut, Planting seasons and climate — TNAU Agritech Portal, Expert System for Coconut, Main field cultivation practices — TNAU Agritech Portal, Expert System for Coconut, Irrigation management — TNAU Agritech Portal, Expert System for Coconut, Harvest and post harvest — TNAU Agritech Portal, Expert System for Coconut. editorial policy.