Vol. 10, Issue 12 (2021)

Author(s):
Raghu RS and Dr. Biju Joseph

Abstract:
Coconut palm is one of the most useful plants to mankind, because it supports the livelihood security of millions of small and marginal farmers. Every part of the plant is very useful in one way or another. Among the various products from coconut, coconut inflorescence sap (CIS) attracts the maximum interest on view of the large number of by products that can be produced which are highly income generating. The available nutrient content of soil and tissue nutrient concentration influences the quantity and quality of coconut inflorescence sap. It is important to identify the nutrients such as N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Na and Cl content of soil and tissue that influence CIS output and its nutritional qualities. The nutrient requirement for coconut palms being tapped is much higher than palms maintained for nut production. CIS is a rich source of reducing and non-reducing sugars with plenty of minerals and vitamins. It is also a good source of iron, phosphorous and ascorbic acid. The most significant characteristic of coconut inflorescence sap is its low glycemic index an indication of the extent of sugar absorbed into the blood which makes it suitable even for consumption for diabetic patients.