• Matag is a hybrid coconut through crossing of Tagnanan tall as male parent and Malayan Yellow/Red dwarf as female parent.
• This hybrid is high yielding and early in maturity with round large fruit.
• The produce is versatile as it can be used as fresh drinking coconut at tender flesh forming stage or at maturity, the latter as raw material for santan, desiccated coconut and other industrial uses.
• The shell and husk are good raw materials for charcoal (activated carbon) and for cocopeat and fibre respectively.
• Seedlings selected should be true-to-type.
• The recommended stage for field planting is at 4-6 months old.
• Advanced planting materials are used as in-filling of vacant points but should be nursed in large polubags to avoid severe transplanting shock.

• For permanent integration of cocnut with other suitable entreprises, the hedge planting design is recommended.
• Coconut is planted as twin rows, at 7 m x 7 m triangular, alternate with the alley at a width of 18 m.
• The plant stand for coconut is 110 palms/ha.
• The alley is separated from the coconut by field drains at 1.5 m from the palm row.

• Trees should be felled, destumped and stacked in accordance with the zero burning guideline.
• Drains should be constructed before field planting.
• Field planting should be carried out at the beginning of the rainy season.

4.

• Planting hole should be dug at the dimension of 60 cm x 60 cm and 45 cm deep.

• A good standard of maintenance is required to ensure vigorous growth and a high yield.
• After establishing the garden, maintenance aspects such as drainage, weeding and manuring require particular attention.

• For satisfactory performance of coconut, it is advisable to clean and deepen the drains regularly in order to maintain the water table to a depth of 75-100 cm.

• Ring weeding to a radius of 2 m around palm at least 6 times a year should be carried out. Weeding can be done manually or by the use of suitable weedicides.
• It is a bad practice to burn the dry grass as very often the coconut trees are damaged.

Note:

Rock Phosphate : RM19/50 kg, GML : RM14/50 kg

It is advisable to weed the garden before applying the fertilisers. For a young palm apply the fertiliser around it to a radius corresponding to the horizontal stretch of its leaves. For a mature palm, apply the fertiliser evenly at 2 m radius around the base of palm.