Research on successful tissue culture of wax coconut

Tra Vinh University has successfully researched and developed a waxy coconut variety using tissue culture technology. This is the first study in Vietnam on coconut tissue culture, especially for waxy coconuts, and it has been highly praised by experts from the Acceptance Council of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development .

Professor, Dr. Pham Tiet Khanh, Chairman of the Board of Tra Vinh University, stated that, according to calculations, when brought to market, tissue-cultured wax coconut seedlings will sell for less than 100,000 VND/seedling, while current embryo-cultured wax coconut seedlings cost from 700,000 to 1,200,000 VND/seedling depending on the production location. At the University, embryo-cultured wax coconut seedlings are priced from 700,000 to 800,000 VND/seedling depending on the order quantity. Therefore, when tissue-cultured coconut seedlings are commercialized, farmers will significantly reduce seedling costs, along with ensuring a source of high-quality seedlings that meet the requirements of the export market.

According to Ngo Chi Cuong, Secretary of the Tra Vinh Provincial Party Committee, after rice, coconut is the province's strongest crop thanks to its adaptability to climate change and its ability to withstand drought, salinity, rain, and storms. Currently, the province is focusing on many solutions to enhance the value of the coconut industry, especially waxy coconut – a type of coconut that holds a "unique" and "king" position as a specialty of the province.

Along with planning planting areas and encouraging farmers to renovate aging, low-yielding wax coconut orchards, the province is promoting trade and developing linkages between businesses and farmers to strengthen connections from production and deep processing to consumption, aiming for export. The province is coordinating with the Ministry of Science and Technology and collaborating with scientists in Japan and South Korea to research the feasibility of using wax coconut in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

Mr. Ngo Chi Cuong requested that Tra Vinh University expedite the research process and provide a detailed budget estimate to complete and implement the necessary steps for commercializing waxy coconut propagation using tissue culture technology, so that the province can allocate funds. During the research process, the university should focus on quality, ensuring that the seedling production meets standards in terms of weight, size, and wax content.

Successful research will help the province expand the area for growing waxy coconuts, develop specialized cultivation zones to ensure quality, and create a concentrated source of raw materials to meet the export market. Farmers will have access to high-quality waxy coconut seedlings at low cost to renovate aging, low-yielding waxy coconut orchards, improve production efficiency, increase income, and sustainably develop the province's waxy coconut industry.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Minh Hoa, Rector of Tra Vinh University, said that the research project "Research on coconut propagation using tissue culture technology and intensive cultivation techniques for tissue-cultured coconut seedlings" Phase 1 was funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the university to implement from 2017.

Tra Vinh University and a research team from the National Key Laboratory of Plant Tissue Culture (Institute of Agricultural Genetics) have successfully created tissue-cultured waxy coconut seedlings through asexual embryo formation. After three years of trial planting, the trees have grown well and have begun producing the first waxy coconuts that meet quality standards. Tra Vinh University is continuing its research in phase 2 to refine the process, increase the propagation rate, create high-quality seedlings with uniform genetic traits, and implement the industrial-scale production of tissue-cultured waxy coconut seedlings.

Due to genetic characteristics, waxy coconuts cannot germinate in natural conditions. Therefore, planting seedlings using traditional propagation methods from non-waxy coconuts yields a maximum of 25% waxy coconuts per bunch. Tra Vinh University has successfully researched and commercialized the process of cultivating waxy coconut embryos since 2011. Each year, they supply the market with approximately 5,000 cultured waxy coconut seedlings at a price of 700,000 – 800,000 VND per seedling, with a waxy fruit yield of over 85% per bunch (3-4 times higher than traditional varieties). However, due to the high price of seedlings, farmers face difficulties in investing in and improving their coconut plantations.

Tra Vinh currently has 1,277.6 hectares of waxy coconut plantations, but the area planted with grafted coconut varieties is only about 31 hectares. Therefore, successful propagation will encourage farmers to confidently renovate old waxy coconut orchards to improve production efficiency.

According to Intellectual Property and Innovation

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/nghien-cuu-thanh-cong-dua-sap-cay-mo/20241006113506649