QUIRICO GORPIDO JR.
Online news contributor
MAASIN CITY: The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) started shifting to sodium chloride for coconut trees in its farmers’ incentive project in the province.
Sodium chloride is household salt.
PCA-Maasin provincial agriculturist Manuel Sembrano said 210 hectares will be planted with 31,500 seednuts for the purpose and nourished with salt instead of the usual inorganic fertilizer.
The PCA incentive project for farmers was initially started in 18 towns around Southern Leyte by PCA techinicians, who will likewise oversee the undertaking and will involved some 50 farmers in seednuts production alone.
This project will involve three phases: procurement, planting and maturity.
Sembrano said that salt is a newly-discovered fertilizer for coconut trees, a product of a long research carried out by Dr. Severino Magat, PCA’s scientist officer.
“Salt fertilization, as has been observed in PCA demo farms, increased coconuts’ growth and yields, weight and thickness of the coconut meat, controls leafspot infection and enhance its tolerance to drought,” he added.
He explained that in seednut production, good quality matured coconuts, aged one year, should be planted arranged by rows, and covered with soil until germination of at least two feet.
At this stage the nuts will be ready for planting.
MAASIN CITY: The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) started shifting to sodium chloride for coconut trees in its farmers’ incentive project in the province.
Sodium chloride is household salt.
PCA-Maasin provincial agriculturist Manuel Sembrano said 210 hectares will be planted with 31,500 seednuts for the purpose and nourished with salt instead of the usual inorganic fertilizer.
The PCA incentive project for farmers was initially started in 18 towns around Southern Leyte by PCA techinicians, who will likewise oversee the undertaking and will involved some 50 farmers in seednuts production alone.
This project will involve three phases: procurement, planting and maturity.
Sembrano said that salt is a newly-discovered fertilizer for coconut trees, a product of a long research carried out by Dr. Severino Magat, PCA’s scientist officer.
“Salt fertilization, as has been observed in PCA demo farms, increased coconuts’ growth and yields, weight and thickness of the coconut meat, controls leafspot infection and enhance its tolerance to drought,” he added.
He explained that in seednut production, good quality matured coconuts, aged one year, should be planted arranged by rows, and covered with soil until germination of at least two feet.
At this stage the nuts will be ready for planting.