COGENT Coconut news and events
Coconut palms and bananas threatened by a new lethal disease
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- Category: News
- Created on 08 May 2013
In Papua New Guinea, a new lethal plant disease called Bogia syndrome is spreading and killing more and more coconut palms, other palms species like Betel nut and some banana varieties. 10 million farmers and their families cultivate coconut palms worldwide on about 12 million hectares, and many more people own a few coconut palms which contribute to their livelihoods. Bogia syndrome, which could trigger harsh social consequences, was recently identified in Madang province within 20 km of an important International Coconut Collection. This genebank conserves coconut varieties for the whole Pacific region. With support from Bioversity International and CGIAR, COGENT (which embraces 39 coconut-producing member countries, representing >98% global production) is mobilizing researchers and stakeholders to fight this disease and re-locate this international genebank. This action will be a component of the Global Strategy for Coconut Genetic Resources Conservation and Use, to be published by COGENT at the end of 2013.
See the video in English version:
Ten international recommendations from the 2012 COGENT Steering Committee Meeting
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- Category: News
- Created on 28 August 2012
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| Opening session of the 16th Steering Committee Meeting at the Woods Manor Hotel, Kochi, Kerala India |
Bioversity International organized the 16th Steering Committee Meeting of the International Coconut Genetic Resources Network (COGENT) from 8th to 10th July 2012, in Kochi, Kerala, India. The meeting was funded by both the CGIAR Research Programme on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry and the Global Crop Diversity Trust.
As a key outcome of the meeting, the Steering Committee and participants from 18 countries, including official COGENT representatives and various stakeholders of the global coconut sector have endorsed 10 major international recommendations in the field of coconut research and development.
The topics of these recommendations are the following:
- An international initiative for sequencing the coconut genome and assessing the uses of genomics tools for coconut breeding and conservation.
- Improvement and standardization of the controlled pollination technique for rejuvenation of coconut genebanks and urgent duplication of ageing coconut accessions.
A warm welcome to the Sultanate of Oman as a new COGENT country member
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- Category: News
- Created on 28 March 2012
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| Irrigation Plantation (Image: R.Bourdeix) |
The International Coconut Genetic Resources Network (COGENT) is pleased to announce the cooptation of a new country member. The Sultanate of Oman is a Middle Eastern country and has a wonderfully contrasting landscape; from mountains to sea, from to desert to greenery. The Dhofar plain located in the corner of Oman’s southwest comprises fertile lands and makes the country suitable for growing coconut trees and other tropical fruits.
In Oman, coconut has a centuries-long history linked with the socio-economic concerns of communities resident in the Dhofar governorate, therefore there are several agricultural authorities dealing with coconut development services in Oman. Indeed (Cocos nucifera) is an economically important crop in the Sultanate of Oman. This country contains about 200,000 coconut palms and around 91% of these are located on the Dhofar plain. Between 1983 and 1988 several new coconut varieties were imported from Sri Lanka and Malaysia via the ministry of agriculture and fisheries.
