Surinam

Country information

Surinam Brown Dwarf (SUBD) (Image: J. Oliver)

Surinam - officially the Republic of Surinam - is a country in northern South America. The official language of Surinam is Dutch which makes it one of four non-Spanish-speaking states in South America along with Brazil, which is Lusophone, Guyana, which is Anglophone and French Guiana, which is Francophone. Surinam is situated between French Guiana to the east and Guyana to the west. The southern border is shared with Brazil and the northern border is the Atlantic coast.

In the 1980’s, trials for resistance to the Heart-rot disease of coconuts was carried out on a number of varieties and hybrids of these varieties. The varieties used were: Malayan Dwarfs; Sri Lanka Green Dwarf; Sri Lanka Red Dwarf, Sri Lanka Yellow Dwarf, a Surinam Dwarf and a Surinam Tall. It was observed that all varieties succumbed to Heart-rot disease, but it seems that some difference exists between varieties in their susceptibility to the disease.

More info: Conserved coconut germplasm from Surinam (2.0MB)