Report compiled for the 2007 Paris International Agricultural Fair
All you need to know about coconut
Research organizations and networks
CICLY = Centre for Information on Coconut Lethal Yellowing [Mexico]
Lethal yellowing is a phytoplasma disease of coconut and other palms. Susceptible palms die within 3 to 6 months of the first symptoms. It is epidemic on the Gulf and Caribbean coasts of Mexico and in Belize and Honduras where hundreds of thousands of palms are dying. When the disease was active in Jamaica and Florida, in the 1960s and 70s an International Council on Lethal Yellowing (ICLY) was set up. It was supported by the FAO, the Coconut Industry Board, Jamaica, the UK Overseas Development Administration, the University of Florida and the International Palm Society, amongst others.
COGENT = Coconut Genetic Resources Network [Italy]
COGENT's goal is to improve coconut production on a sustainable basis and increase incomes in developing countries through improved cultivation of the coconut and efficient utilization of its products. COGENT coordinates research activities of national, regional and global significance, particularly in germplasm exploration, collecting, conservation and enhancement through collaboration on the broader aspects of coconut research and development.
Plant Cultures project (Kew Gardens) [United Kingdom]
http://www.plantcultures.org.uk/plants/coconut_landing.html
Plants have an important part in our lives, from the clothes on our back to the food that we eat. Plant Cultures invites you to discover more about South Asian plants and the stories they have inspired. Coconut trees are palms that grow up to 30 metres high. Known as the 'tree of life' because of their huge variety of uses, they grow throughout the tropics. You will find here information on: plant profile, history, spiritual role, production and trade, uses (traditional and western medicine, food, crafts, cosmetics, others), and how to grow it.