How to raise good arecanut plantations?

Many people are now hope with arecanut crop, because it is only the profitable crop. Now those who having arecanut plantations they are settled in their life or well off comparatively people growing other crops. It opened the farmers eye, almost all farmers are started to plant arecanut. But main problem is productive arecanut plantations. Here we introduce one senior arecanut planter Mr. Shankara Bhat , Balya house, Kashipatna village, Belthangadi taluk, Dakshina Kannada. Karnataka. He has more than 50 years of experience in arecanut cultivation. His fore fathers are also arecanut cultivators. He give some good hints to new arecanut farmers.
First of all he says good seed material selection and good planting materials are the most important. If we pass in this criteria, most of the problems of arecanut garden solved. Good plants have its own genetic characters. So it will survive in crucial conditions also. There are many criteria in selecting good seeds. Do not select all the nuts in bunch. Select only few from middle of the bunch.
Next thing is growth. In a year a plant can grow like this, minimum it should be more than 5-6 leaves and bole should be emerged. Next year it should have 4-5 internodes. In third year plant should initiate flower. Some varieties can start yield in 3 year, and some are in 4 years. But almost all initiate flower at internodes. It is good growth. If these criteria not fulfilled, you can remove that plant and re plant new.
In young plants or yielding plants minimum 8 leaves are essential. If it is less than that it is not worth to keep. Leaf structure is also important. If leaves are dark green, and cone shape, then it is less yielding. Umbrella shaped crown and separated leaflets can give good yield. If plants are very thin it will yield less. Remove this type of plants.
The leaf sheath also important in good yielders. It should not be thick and very thin. In good yielding plants leaf sheaths have marginal thickness. Some of this can be managed by balanced nutrients, If it is due to genetic, it should not be managed by manures etc. observe this two to three years and then remove and replant new.
When re- planting removing old plant is suggested, because the bottom soil has thick cover of roots. It should not allow the new plants to penetrate roots. Otherwise we have to plant in between two trees.
Ideal distance of arecanut planting is 13X6.5 feet. Plant to plant distance is 13 feet. Row to raw is 6.5 feet. It is triangle shape.
He says arecanut cultivation is good scope in future. But, when planting we have to look into the source of water and soil and geographical conditions. Ideal area for arecanut cultivation is valley type and south west covered area. Every farmers have to get good income from their crops. Arecanut is now high income earning crop.

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