Research Guides: Traditional Pacific Island Crops: Coconut

Key Web Resources for Coconut (Cocos nucifera)

The botanical name for coconut is Cocos nucifera and it is currently thought to have originated in the coastal areas of Southeast Asia and Melanesia. In prehistoric times, it spread naturally on ocean currents eastward to the tropical Pacific islands and westward to India and all the way to East Africa. Around 4,500 years ago, voyaging Polynesians and Indo-Malayans introduced their preferred forms to various Pacific islands.

Today, the coconut palm is found throughout the tropics. In the Pacific region, it continues to be an important economic and subsistence crop. Pacific islanders use almost every part of the coconut palm. It is a major source of food, oil, fiber, and wood.

IN THIS BOX are links to COMPREHENSIVE or OVERVIEW web resources on this crop.

For web resources on SPECIFIC TOPICS, select the appropriate category in the BOX BELOW.

Cocos nucifera (Coconut)
(E. Chan and C.R. Elevitch. 2006. Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry) Comprehensive monograph on coconut production in the Pacific. Covers botany, genetics, growing conditions, propagation, uses and products, and agroforestry applications; includes references. (1.8 Mb PDF file)
Coconut Odyssey: The Bounteous Possibilities of the Tree of Life
(Mike Foale. 2003. ACIAR Monograph No. 101) This publication describes the origin and distribution of coconut, varieties, ecology, propagation, cultivation, harvesting, uses, and preparation. (4.64 Mb PDF file)
Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Coconut (Cocos nucifera)
(M. Foale and H. Harries. 2009. Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry.) Covers cultivation, harvest, processing, nutrient composition, economics and marketing; includes references. (2.2 Mb PDF file)
Cocos nucifera
(World Agroforestry Centre, AgroForestryTree Database) Briefly covers botany, ecology, propagation and management, uses, and pests and diseases; includes references. (475 Kb PDF file)

Specific Topics for Coconut (Cocos nucifera)

Regeneration Guidelines for Coconut (Crop Genebank Knowledge Base)
(CGIAR) The information on this page was extracted from: J.L. Konan, R. Bourdeix and M.L. George. 2008. Regeneration guidelines: coconut. In: Crop specific regeneration guidelines. Also available in PDF format.
FAO / IBPGR Technical Guidelines for the Safe Movement of Coconut Germplasm
(E.A. Frison, C.A.J. Putter, M. Diekmann, eds. 1993. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute) Provides "crop-specific technical guidelines that provide relevant information on disease indexing and other procedures that will help ensure phytosanitary safety when germplasm is moved internationally." (1.3 Mb PDF file)
Key Access and Utilization Descriptors for Coconut Genetic Resources
(Bioversity International, CIRAD. 2009) This list consists of an initial set of characterization and evaluation descriptors for coconut utilization. (127 Kb PDF file)
Descriptors for Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.)
(IPGRI. 1995) Descriptors used for documenting and managing genebank accessions and germplasm collection. (1.8 Mb PDF file)
Independent Origins of Cultivated Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) in the Old World Tropics
(Bee F. Gunn, Luc Baudouin, and Kenneth M. Olsen. 2011. PLoS One) Results of DNA analysis suggests two independent origins of coconut cultivation. One is in the Pacific which the likely center being in island Southeast Asia. The other center is in the Indian Ocean.

Cocos nucifera L.
(James A. Allen. 2002. Tropical Tree Seed Manual. USDA) Discusses flowering and fruiting, seed processing, and germination requirements. (230 Kb PDF file)
Coconut Palm in Florida
(Timothy K. Broschat and Jonathan H. Crane. 2008. Florida Cooperative Extension Service) General overview of propagation, planting, cultural practices, and pest control. Also available in PDF format.
Propagation Protocol for Production of Container Cocos nucifera Plants
(Craig R. Elevitch and Kim M. Wilkinson. 2007. Native Plant Network) This protocol covers propagation of coconut from seed.

Palm Pest and Disease Image Gallery (Hawaii)
(Scot Nelson, CTAHR, University of Hawaii at Manoa) Digital photographs of pests and diseases of palms in Hawaii are provided here to help palm growers diagnose their pest or disease problems. Includes pests and diseases of coconut.
The Pacific Islands Pest List Database
(Secretary of the Pacific Community) This database contains records of pests and diseases that are currently known to affect agriculture, forestry and the environment in Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs). Country pest lists are currently available for Samoa, Tonga, Niue, French Polynesia, Fiji, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, FSM, Palau and Marshall Islands. The database can be also be searched by crop; use either English common name or botanical name. The database contains records for all of the crops covered by this Web site.
Plant Pests and Insects Publications (Agricultural Pests of the Pacific)
(ADAP Project. 2000) Leaflet series with color photographs of insect pests and crop damage. Includes pests of banana, betel nut, breadfruit, cassava, coconut, kava, pandanus, sugarcane, sweet potato, and taro. All available in PDF format.
Plant Disease, 1997 - present
(College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), UH Manoa) Access to free full text in pdf format of the College's plant disease publications. The collection includes publications on diseases of banana, coconut, kava ('awa), noni, sweet potato, and taro.
Viruses of Plants - Known Susceptibilities of Palmae
(A.A. Brunt, K. Crabtree, et al. 1996. Plant Viruses Online) Includes data on host range; transmission and control; geographical distribution; physical, chemical and genomic properties; taxonomy and relationships; and selected literature references.

The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stocks
(Kenneth C. Gross, et al. 2014. Agriculture Handbook HB-66. USDA, ARS.) This latest edition of Agriculture Handbook 66 (HB-66) represents a complete revision of the 1986 edition. It presents summaries of current storage requirements of fresh fruits, vegetables, cut flowers, and other horticultural crops. This highly improved and expanded version also includes information on quality characteristics, maturity indices, grading, packaging, precooling, retail display, chilling sensitivity, ethylene production and sensitivity, respiration rates, physiological disorders, postharvest pathology, quarantine issues, and suitability as fresh-cut product.
Coconut - Post-Harvest Operations
(P.G.Punchihewa and R.N. Arancon. 1999. Information Network on Post-harvest Operations (INPhO), FAO) Young immature coconuts are harvested for coconut water, a nutritious drink, and mature fruits for the white ‘meat’ and oil. The main coconut product, copra (dried kernel), and its derivatives coconut oil, copra cake, plus desiccated coconut represent a major source of foreign exchange. For several small nations, especially in the Pacific, copra is the principal source of foreign exchange. (0.3 Mb PDF file)
Estimating the Per-pound Cost of a Dried or Condensed Food Based on Process Yield and Farm-gate Price
(James R. Hollyer and Alvin S. Huang. 1999. Entrepreneur's Toolbox ET-2, CTAHR, UH Manoa) Outlines the economics of drying and/or condensing food products; includes tables to calculate costs based on farm gate price per pound and yield after processing and refuse, and dehydration percentages for bananas, coconut, and taro. (28 Kb PDF file)

Coconut: Its Role in Health
(Wendy Snowdon, Tom Osborn, Bill Aarlbersberg, and Jimaima Schultz. 2003. SPC) This publication describes the coconut products normally found in Pacific island diets and provides information on the nutritional value of each of them. It also discusses the relationship between traditional coconut foods and heart disease and other health problems and discusses specific Pacific island examples. (2.2 Mb PDF file)
Hawaii Foods
(University of Hawaii at Manoa) Searchable and browseable database of nutrient information for a variety of foods and ingredients. Also provides access to an online dietary assessment tool, recipes, and full-text publications.
The Pacific Islands Food Composition Tables, 2nd ed.
(Cecily Dignan, Barbara Burlingame, Shailesh Kumar and William Aalbersberg. 2004. FAO) Food tables for a large variety of foods consumed in Pacific Islands. There are 22 nutrients in the main body of the tables, which are presented in a fixed format for each record. The order of presentation is based on major nutrient categories and convention.
Feedipedia: An On-line Encyclopedia of Animal Feeds
(FAO) Feedipedia is an open access information system on animal feed resources that provides information on nature, occurrence, chemical composition, nutritional value and safe use of nearly 1400 worldwide livestock feeds.

The Fruits We Eat
(Mele’ofa Malolo, Tai’ora Matenga-Smith, and Jimaima Tunidau-Schultz. 2001. Secretariat of the Pacific Community. SPC Handbook) This handbook provides information on selection, storage, preparation, food values, and recipes for commonly available fruits in the Pacific. (2.33 Mb PDF file)
Coconut (Pacific Foods Leaflet No. 4)
(Healthy Pacific Lifestyles Section, SPC. 2006) Covers the use of coconut as a food; includes nutrient analysis, preparation, and recipes. (1.9 Mb PDF file)
Coconut (South Florida Tropicals)
(Amy Simonne, Linda B. Bobroff, et al. Revised 2007. University of Florida IFAS Extension) This leaflet covers selection, storage, nutritive value, and preparation; includes some recipes.
Coconut (Florida Food Fare)
(Jean Meadows and Mary Jo Oswald. 2007. University of Florida, IFAS) This article provides information on selection, nutritional value, preparation, and several recipes. (49 Kb PDF file)
Pacific Islands Cookbook
(ADAP Project. 1994. Instructional Material ADAP 94-4) A collection of recipes using local foods including: coconut, green leaves and vegetables, papaya, mango, banana, breadfruit, taro, yam, sweet potato, cassava, and fish and meat. Most of the recipes have an estimated nutritional value table. (1.7 Mb PDF file)
What's Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl
(USDA) Results of search on "coconut"
Coconut: An Island Food (South Pacific foods leaflets; 8)
(South Pacific Commission. 1983) This is an earlier edition of the SPC leaflets, but with different recipes. Also covers nutritional value, preparation, and preservation.
Marshallese Food Preservation Projects
(Julia M. Alfred. 2003. Household Nutrition Education Program, Republic of the Marshall Islands) Instruction for traditional preparations of breadfruit, coconut, and taro; in Marshallese and English.

International Agricultural Trade Statistics
(FAOSTAT) Figures are given for quantity and value of commodies imported/exported (in metric tonnes). International commodity prices are used to calculate the total value of each commodity produced by each country. Select "Countries" using the drop down menu and then use the drop down menu to select the crop product. (There may be statistics available for more than one product for a crop.) Country level statistics are available using the links in the left hand navigation bar.
International Agricultural Production Statistics
(FAOSTAT) Provides figures for area harvested, yield, and quantity produced (in metric tonnes)Use the drop down menu to select the crop. Country level statistics are available using the "Countries" drop down menu.
Federated States of Micronesia - Commodity Exports
(Federated States of Micronesia, Division of Statistics) Provides dollar value of exports for banana, kava, betel nuts, copra, and root crops for 2000 through 2006.
U.S. Census of Agriculture - 2007 Census Publications
(USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service) The "Outlying Areas" section has links to the 2007 reports for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. There are links to previous Census of Agriculture publications which also include American Samoa. Generally, the reports include harvest figures for banana and plantain, betel nut, breadfruit, cassava, coconut, sweet potato, taro, and yam.

Asian Pacific Coconut Community (APCC)
"The objectives of the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) are to promote, coordinate and harmonize all activities of the coconut industry which sustains the lives of millions of small farmers as well as those engaged in production, processing and marketing of coconut products." APCC is an intergovernmental organization of sixteen full member countries, composed of The Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Republic of Kiribati, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.
COGENT - International Coconut Genetic Resources Network
"COGENT aims to develop and implement an international mechanism to coordinate research activities of national, regional and global significance, particularly in germplasm exploration, collecting, conservation and enhancement. It also aims to establish a basis for collaboration on the broader aspects of coconut research and development."
Pacific Crops - ACIAR
(Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research) The Pacific Crops program aims to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of horticultural, root and tree crop-based farming systems in Papua New Guinea, selected Pacific Island countries and Australia. It has a multidisciplinary emphasis on integrated crop management, emphasising the production, protection, postharvest handling and marketing of key crops grown in these countries.
Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) - Kerala, India
CPCRI's mission includes the development of appropriate production, protection and processing technologies for coconut and arecanut (betel nut) through basic and applied research. It also acts as a national repository for the genetic resources of these crops. They have both free and for-sale publications.

AgEcon Search
(University of Minnesota and Agricultural and Applied Economics Association) AgEcon Search collects, indexes, and electronically distributes full text copies of scholarly research in the broadly defined field of agricultural economics including sub disciplines such as agribusiness, food supply, natural resource economics, environmental economics, policy issues, agricultural trade, and economic development.
Global Agricultural Research Archive (GARA)
(CABI) This database currently contains over 3,750 full text records from institutional partners in Malawi, Pakistan, Myanmar and the Philippines, from the 2008 IAALD conference on agricultural information and IT, and from RUFORUM.
FAO Document Repository
(FAO) The Document Repository is FAO’s online archive for collecting, preserving and disseminating digital copies of the Organization’s knowledge outputs to ensure that they are available to the widest possible audience. It contains publications, journals, official meeting documents, technical reports and information materials produced by FAO offices worldwide.
PubAg
(National Agricultural Library, USDA) PubAg is a portal to USDA-authored and other highly relevant agricultural research. At launch, it delivered over 40,000 full-text journal articles by USDA staff and includes nearly 450,000 citations. Open access; no login required.
ScholarSpace - UH Manoa
(University of Hawaii at Manoa Library) ScholarSpace is UH Manoa's institutional repository. It provides free Web access to many of the University's publications. It includes both legacy publications and current research papers, journal articles, books, and conference proceedings. All are available in full text as PDF files. Try using the Advanced Search and enter the English common name or the botanical name.
AGRICOLA: 1970 - present
(National Agricultural Library, USDA) Citations, most with abstracts, to journal articles, books, theses, technical reports, and other publications in agriculture and related areas such as nutrition, biotechnology, and botany. Use the Keyword Search and enter the English common name or the botanical name.
AGRIS: 1975 - present
(FAO) International database covering agricultural sciences and technology containing citations for conventional and non-conventional ("grey") literature. Search using the English common name or the botanical name.
PubMed (Medline): 1946 - present
(U.S. National Library of Medicine, NIH) Citations with abstracts for journal articles in biology and medicine including botany and nutrition. Citations may include links to free full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites. Search using the English common name or the botanical name.
Sorting Cocos Names - Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database
(Snow Barlow. 2007. University of Melbourne) Lists approved botanical names and synonyms and provides common names in a number of languages.

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