Site Suitability for Coconut Cultivation
Coconut is a perennial crop that can thrive for over 70 years, continuously drawing nutrients from a limited volume of soil. Therefore, replenishing the soil's nutrient pool is essential to maximize crop productivity. Coconut is highly sensitive to both water stress and water stagnation, making light-textured sandy soils with good irrigation potential ideal for its cultivation. While coconut can tolerate mild levels of soil acidity and alkalinity, the most suitable conditions for its growth are a soil pH between 6.5 and 8.0 and a soil depth of 80 to 100 cm. Research from 2000 indicates that 96% of the roots of middle-aged coconut palms are concentrated within a depth of 0 to 120 cm. Coconut is also a semi-halophytic plant, capable of tolerating soil salinity levels up to 0.6%. It performs well in calcareous soils with a free CaCO3 content of 5 to 10%. However, if canker nodules or a hard pan is found below a depth of 1 meter, the soil is considered unsuitable for coconut cultivation.
