The Coconut Palm in Sri Lanka

     

                 The coconut, popularly known as the “Tree of Life”, Tree of Abundance”, “Nature's Super Market”, “Kalpavruksha”, in the form of tender nuts and dry fruit as food, drink, oil and milk has been used by human and their immediate ancestor species for at least half a million years.

The coconut, popularly known as the “Tree of Life”, Tree of Abundance”, “Nature's Super Market”, “Kalpavruksha”, in the form of tender nuts and dry fruit as food, drink, oil and milk has been used by human and their immediate ancestor species for at least half a million years.

Its medicinal use is known for over 4000 years in Ayurveda system. This crop is grown in 11.8 million hectare in about 93 countries around the world, and produces 57514 billion nuts or 10.57 million tons of copra equivalent of which 87.9% area and 82% of production are from Asia and Pacific countries.

                   Under favorable condition, an adult palm produces 12 to 16 new leaves annually with a corresponding flower cluster. In a healthy crown, there are 30-40 leaves. A mature leaf is 3-4 meter in length and has 200 -250 leaflets. A leaf remains in the palm for about 3 years. When leaves are shed, a permanent scar is left on the trunk.

A normal inflorescence may have 10-50 female flowers.Of them 50-70% fall off and balance developed into nuts, which will take about 12 months to mature.

The economic life of the palm is about 60-70 years, although much older trees are known to exist and yield well.

Sri Lanka with 439,000 Ha. has a production of 2274 million nuts and occupies third and fourth place respectively in area and production, earning about US$ 142.3 million through export of coconut products particularly coir products, desiccated coconuts, activated carbon, copra, coconut powder, and fresh coconut.

Sri Lanka with 439,000 Ha. has a production of 2274 million nuts and occupies third and fourth place respectively in area and production, earning about US$ 142.3 million through export of coconut products particularly coir products, desiccated coconuts, activated carbon, copra, coconut powder, and fresh coconut.

Sri Lanka is the largest coconut consuming country (70 – 80% of coconut is utilised for domestic consumption). It has been estimated that demand in Sri Lanka by 2010 will be 4000 million nuts to meet the domestic and industrial requirements.
Its medicinal use is known for over 4000 years in Ayurvedic system. This crop is grown in 11.8 million hectare in about 93 countries around the world, and produces 57514 billion nuts or 10.57 million tons of copra equivalent of which 87.9% area and 82% of production are from Asia and Pacific countries.

The cultivation of the coconut palm in Sri Lanka is spread over more than twenty two centuries. The palm has a single terminal growing point. It contributes stem elongation, formation of flowers and nuts. It takes about 16 months from the initial formation of the flowers to their opening.

Under favourable condition, an adult palm produces 12 to 16 new leaves annually with a corresponding flower cluster. In a healthy crown, there are 30-40 leaves. A mature leaf is 3-4 meter in length and has 200 -250 leaflets. A leaf remains in the palm for about 3 years. When leaves are shed, a permanent scar is left on the trunk.

A normal inflorescences may have 10-50 female flowers. Of them 50-70% fall off and balance developed into nuts, which will take about 12 months to mature.

The economic life of the palm is about 60-70 years, although much older trees are known to exist and yield well.

Sri Lanka with 439,000 Ha. has a production of 2274 million nuts and occupies third and fourth place respectively in area and production, earning about US$ 142.3 million through export of coconut products particularly coir products, desiccated coconuts, activated carbon, copra, coconut powder, and fresh coconut.

Sri Lanka is the largest coconut consuming country (70 – 80% of coconut is utilised for domestic consumption). It has been estimated that demand in Sri Lanka by 2010 will be 4000 million nuts to meet the domestic and industrial requirements.

Structure of proteins

            Proteins are essential contituents of all cells,both plants and animals.the nucleus and protoplasm of every cell is composed of protien.protien is absolutely essential in the human diet.because it is the only nutrient which supplies nitrogen and this is vital for cell formation,and there fore growth.the body is uable to synthesis nitrigen from the plentiful supplies which abound in nature.in the air and in the soil,for instance so it must be provided with nitrogen in suitable organic form.

            

             Protein are macromolecules of higher mass weight(relative formula mass or molecular mass).typically between several thousands and several million,contain of chains of amino acids .they are polymers.there are 20 different amino acids  which are commonly found in naturally occurring proteins. The potential variety of proteins is unlimited because the sequence of amino acids in genetically controlled by the DNA of the cell in which it is made.

             In order to understand the functions of proteins  at a molecular level ,it is often necessary to determine the  three dimensional structure of the proteins.This is the topic of the scientific field of structural biology, that employs techniques such as X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy to  determine the structure of proteins.

Proteins exhibit four levels of organization. Primary structure, Secondary structure, Tertiary structure, Quaternary structure.

  http://lectures.molgen.mpg.de/ProteinStructure/Levels/index.html

                                                                                                                              post by c.n rathnayaka