Author : Md Sharaf Uddin

Summary : To assess genetic diversity within and among the coconut populations in Northern Luzon, Philippines, five coconut populations were collected from three provinces i.e. one from Pangasinan (MDP), two from Isabela (ACI and CCI) and two from Nueva Vizcaya (SBV1 and SBV 2). One population (CSQ) was selected from Quezon as control. The within population diversity ranged from H'=0.49-0.70 for all the qualitative characters. the diversity within the populations was high in all populations for quantitative traits : vegetative (H'=0.81-0.86), flower (H'=0.85-0.88) and fruit characters (H'=0.84-0.89). The populations were grouped into 4 clusters. Cluster 1 included ACI and CCI; cluster 2 SBV1 and SBV2; CSQ and MDP stood out as a distinct population. Among all characters, nut weight (loading=0.77) and husk weight (loading=0.53) had the highest contribution to the total variation observed in the populations. A positive correlation was found between number of female flower per inflorescence and spikelet with female flower (r2=0.96), fruit weight with nut weight (r2=0.88), and nut weight with weight of water (r2=0.93). On the other hand, fruit shape had the negative correlation with fruit weight and nut weight. The big size of the nuts and their market value were the greatest variables considered by farmers for planting and maintaining coconuts on-farm. These variables as well as its added value may encourage more farmers to continuously plant more coconuts that will result in the conservation of the local cultivars on-farm.