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The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) was established in June 1982 by an Act of the Australian Parliament. Its mandate is to help identify agricultural problems in developing countries and to commission collaborative research between Australian and developing country researchers in fields where Australia has special research competence. Where trade names are used this constitutes neither endorsement of, nor discrimination against. any product by the Centre. ACIAR PROCEEDINGS This series of publications includes the full proceedings of research workshops or symposia organised or supported by ACIAR. Numbers in this series are distributed internationally to selected individuals and scientific institutions. Recent numbers in the series are listed inside the back cover. © Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research G.P.O. Box 1571. Canberra, A.C.T. 2601 Foale. M.A. and Lynch P.W. ed., 1994. Coconut Improvement in the South Pacific: proceedings of a workshop in Taveuni. Fiji Islands, 10-12 November 1993. ACIAR Proceedings No. 53, 82 p. ISBN I 86320 121 1 Typesetting and layout by K & B Publications, Canberra. Printed by: Watson Ferguson & Company. Brisbane, Australia. Coconut Improvement in the South Pacific Proceedings of a workshop held in Taveuni, Fiji Islands 10-12 November 1993 Editors: M.A. Foale and P.W. Lynch Contents Introduction General communique Communique on the implications of viroid-like RNA for the movement of coconut germplasm in the South Pacific region MA Foale 5 A personal view of the implications of viroid-like RNA for the movement of germplasm and for coconut production M A Foale 7 The current status of the coconut industry in Papua New Guinea Tore Ovasuru 9 Current status and development of coconut in Solomon Islands Michael Max Oliouou 14 Production and dissemination of improved coconut cultivars EEC-Pacific Regional Agricultural Program (PRAP) Gerard Duhamel 19 Raising coconut productivity in the South Pacific: the Australian connection M A Foale and G R Ashburner 22 Coconut embryo culture for remote locations G R Ashburner, M G Faure, PR Franz, D R Tomlinson, P Pulo, J M Burch and W K Thompson 25 The use of zygotic embryo culture to solve the problem of low germination associated with Malayan red dwarf coconut in Western Samoa M B Taylor, G V H Jackson, C Smith and S Efu 29 Preliminary analysis of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) germplasm in Papua New Guinea Tore Ovasuru 33 Methods for coconut germplasm prospection G R Ashburner, M G Faure and M A Foale 41 Coconut germplasm characterisation using DNA marker technology G R Ashburner and W Rohde 44 3 Methods fOT identifying viroids in coconuts and other commercially important palms RAJ Hodgson and J W Randles 47 A new viroid family infecting tropical monocotyledons D Hanold andJ W Randles SS Research on viroid-like molecules in oil palm M Dollet, L Mazzolini and V Bernard 62 Studies of coconut foHar decar disease and its virus agent J W Randles, J P Morin, D C Millar, D Hanold and W Rohde 66 Canopy development and light interception of coconut M A Foa/e, G R Ashburner and D Friend 71 Prospects for future coconut research in the South Pacific: a personal view M A Foale 74 BUROTROP's global activites with particular emphasis on the Pacific M Hazelman 78 COGENT and its global activities M Hazelman 80 Participants 82 4 Introduction WHEN the ACIAR Coconut Improvement Project was due for review it was decided to invite coconut research workers with an interest in the South Pacific to a workshop. The aims of the workshop were to: • hear a presentation of the main achievements of the Coconut Improvement Project; • enable delegates from South Pacific countries to report on the status of national activity in coconut research, development and extension; • hear a report on progress in the ACIAR coconut virus and viroid project; and • explore possibilities for future research in coconut production in the region. As a result of the workshop, two communiques were drafted to capture the main findings and opinions of delegates on coconut production, and on the problem of viroid-like RNA sequences first observed in coconut in 1987. These communiques are presented here, and in the next paper a statement of my view of the current dilemma regarding the viroid-like RNA sequences; and the associated quarantine issue. General Communique 1. Reports were made by country delegates on the general situation of the coconut industry in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji Islands and Tonga. There was no delegate from Western Samoa, Tuvalu or Kiribati. Declining exports of copra and coconut oil were reported for all countries represented. In some cases, copra produc­ tion has ceased and nuts surplus to domestic requirements are used solely for livestock. 2. The reasons advanced for this decline included low price, breakdown of marketing arrangements, increased local consumption of coconuts, and, in some cases, the farmers giving attention to more profitable alternatives. Coconut for copra is seen as a worth­ while activity solely by farmers with no other choice for earning cash. 3. In the case of small and remote islands, including many atolls, continued production of copra encourages ships to visit, thereby sustaining communication. Unless copra or other coconut products are presented for sale such regular visits would cease in the future, creating extreme isolation. 4. Marketing of higher-value products, such as fresh mature nuts and drinking nuts, provides a greater financial return than copra. Appropriate new technology for the pro­ duction of oil or coconut cream. embodying both low complexity and small scale, is urgently needed if coconut is to survive as a cash crop. Value-adding at a household or village level (for example micro-scale extraction of oil recently developed at the Australian National University) is a very promising concept that should be fully assessed by in-country policy makers and by aid donors. 5. From an agronomic point of view, there is a need to optimise the management of crops that are associated with coconut. A place for coconut in most farming systems is assured in the long-term by the continuing demand for food from an expanding human popUlation, and by the use of excess production as feed for domestic animals. 6. The country delegates in particular gave priority to research into the management of the diverse farming systems that include coconut. The introduction of any cash crop requiring intense or ex.pensive inputs (cultivation, fertiliser or pesticide) was seen as a danger, not only to the maintenance of physical and chemical fertility of soil, but also to ground-water and streams through pollution. 5 7. Three positive developments reported to the meeting were: the advance in embryo culture for the movement of germplasm; the advance in DNA fingerprinting for germplasm; and the development of methods for sequencing of viroid-like RNAs. Research organisations will be seeking to secure further funding to enable applications to flow from these basic results. Communique on the Implications of Viroid-like RNA for the Movement of Coconut GermpJasm in the South Pacific Region The draft statement below was prepared by the 22 delegates to the meeting to assist national quarantine authorities and other agencies with responsibility for advice or policy relating to the movement of coconut germplasm. There was insufficient time to finalise the communique at Taveuni so the version presented here has been developed after later interaction with delegates. Opinion was divided, among delegates, as to the likely level of risk associated with the presence of viroid-like RNA. Some believed that the viroid­ like sequence has been present for some time without obvious harm, whereas others felt that symptomless harm to growth and yield may already be manifested in palms carrying viroid-like RNA. 1. Pending clarification of the problem of viroid-like RNA as recommended below, it is suggested that the South Pacific Commission (SPC) should not recommend the move­ ment of coconut germpJasm between countries, unless testing shows the material to be free of viroid-like RNA. In other respects, IBPGR (draft) guidelines should be followed as far as they are applicable to the South Pacific region. (These actually recommend indexing only for germplasm that goes to countries where viroid-like RNA has not been found, but it has been found in every country surveyed so far). 2. Given that there is an urgent need to facilitate germplasm exchange, funding must be found for the following priority activities: (a) to initiate research on viroid-like RNA to determine whether it is, in fact, patho­ genic or not pathogenic to a range of coconut populations; (b) sequencing of the viroid-like RNA found in coconut to characterise unknown aspects, including the degree of relatedness of RNA found in different coconut popu­ lations. (Work on this aspect is under way in ACIAR project 9221 in Adelaide, fund­ ed until December 1994); (c) assessment of the implications for quarantine of the degree of relatedness of vari­ ants of viroid-like RNA found in different coconut populations, and assessment of the risk to coconut health of relatedness between variants of viroid-like RNA and CCCVd; and (d) establishment of an indexing facility for viruses, viroids, and viroid-like RNA. 3. Sufficient research results with respect to viroid-like RNA are not yet available for a definite policy on movement of germ plasm to be established. When the important issues listed here have been dealt with a well-informed policy could be drawn up. 4. More support is required to create, through training and collaboration, better under­ standing and general awareness of the nature of cadang-cadang viroid and of any poten­ tial problem due to the presence of viroid-like RNA.

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