Malayan Dwarf
A dwarf from the Malay Peninsula, used in India mainly as a parent: TNAU lists the hybrid Kerasree (West Coast Tall × Malayan Yellow Dwarf) for Kerala. It flowers early but is short-lived and drought-susceptible, like all dwarfs.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Coconut
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- Kharif
- Starts bearing
- Bears in 4–5 years
- Expected yield
- High (tender)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- No Indian disease rating published; lethal yellowing resistance is reported abroad
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Malayan Dwarf comes from the Malay Peninsula and is grown across the tropics. In India it is used mostly as a parent. TNAU lists the hybrid Kerasree (West Coast Tall × Malayan Yellow Dwarf) among its hybrid varieties suitable for Kerala, and CPCRI's hybrid Kalpa Samrudhi and Kalpa Sreshta also use a Malayan dwarf parent. TNAU describes dwarf coconuts in general: small stature (5 to 7 m), flowering as early as the third year, an average life of 40 to 50 years, susceptibility to drought, and small nuts. No CPCRI or TNAU datasheet gives Malayan Dwarf its own yield for India, so no yield figure is stated here.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Malayan Dwarf only if your nursery or KVK has it growing well in your district. No Indian datasheet gives it a yield of its own. Most farmers meet it as a parent of hybrids such as Kerasree (WCT × MYD) in Kerala. For a tender-nut dwarf with a CPCRI release and published numbers, take Chowghat Orange Dwarf (63 to 65 nuts a year, released 1991). For earlier bearing and more nuts, Kera Sankara or Chandra Sankara.
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 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
Pest & disease considerations
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- A dwarf flowers early, from about the third year, per TNAU.
- A short palm is easier to harvest and to cross-pollinate for hybrid seed.
- A recognised parent in hybrid breeding: Kerasree (WCT × MYD) is listed by TNAU for Kerala.
Things to consider
- No Indian datasheet gives Malayan Dwarf its own yield, so any number you hear is a seller's claim. Ask your KVK what is growing well in your district.
- A dwarf lives 40 to 50 years against 80 to 90 for a tall, and is susceptible to drought, per TNAU.
- The lethal yellowing resistance you may read about is from abroad. It does not tell you how the palm will do against Indian problems such as root (wilt).
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Kerala
Plan for a shorter palm life
TNAU gives dwarf coconut palms an average life of 40 to 50 years, against 80 to 90 years for tall ones. A dwarf starts flowering in about the third year, but it does not last as long.
That changes how you value the palm. A tall palm planted today may still be bearing when your grandchildren farm the land. A dwarf block will need to be replanted once, perhaps twice, in the same span. Count the cost of felling, new seedlings and the gap years in your budget.
Because there is no Indian yield figure for Malayan Dwarf itself, do not build a plan on it alone. A better plan is a mixed holding: a few dwarf or hybrid palms for early income, and talls for the long haul. Ask your KVK which dwarf or hybrid is doing well locally.
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) | 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 Dwarfthis page | 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
Where does Malayan Dwarf coconut originate from?
The Malay Peninsula, per corroborated secondary sources — it is now the most widely grown dwarf coconut variety in the world.
How quickly does Malayan Dwarf start bearing?
In just 3-5 years, compared to 6-10 years for Tall coconut varieties.
Is Malayan Dwarf resistant to lethal yellowing?
Resistance to lethal yellowing is reported for the Malayan dwarfs in countries where that disease occurs. It is not the disease Indian farmers face, so do not choose the palm for it. The Indian worry is root (wilt) in Kerala, for which CPCRI lists other releases.
How tall does a Malayan Dwarf palm grow?
TNAU describes dwarf coconut palms in general as small, 5 to 7 m. For the exact height of a Malayan Dwarf in your conditions, ask the nursery for the age and height of a mother palm.
What size are Malayan Dwarf coconuts?
Medium-sized, per corroborated secondary sources.
Does Malayan Dwarf have its own published yield in India?
Not in the CPCRI or TNAU pages used for this site. TNAU lists the hybrid Kerasree (West Coast Tall × Malayan Yellow Dwarf) for Kerala, and CPCRI lists hybrids with a Malayan dwarf parent, but those yields belong to the hybrids, not to the pure dwarf.
Which hybrids use a Malayan dwarf as a parent?
TNAU lists Kerasree (WCT × MYD) and VHC 2 (ECT × MYD). CPCRI lists Kalpa Samrudhi (MYD × WCT), recommended for Kerala and Assam, and Kalpa Sreshta (MYD × TPT), recommended for Kerala and Karnataka.
How long does a Malayan Dwarf palm last?
TNAU gives an average life of 40 to 50 years for dwarf palms in general, against 80 to 90 years for talls. It gives no separate figure for this variety.
Does a dwarf coconut need more water?
TNAU says dwarfs are susceptible to drought. For the first two years give each seedling 45 litres once in 4 days in the dry months, and keep irrigating in summer after that, since summer irrigation raises nut yield.
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.