Areca nut is one of the important commercial crops of India, particularly in Kerala. Areca nut is providing livelihood security for millions of people in rural and urban areas. Areca nut is an extensively cultivated tropical palm. It is a tall-stemmed, erect, reaching varied height. Types of areca nut trees are given below.
Shata Mangala
High-yielding areca nut variety released during 2016. The yield performance of the variety is higher than the released varieties, viz., Mangala, Sumangala, Sree Mangala, and traditional local types, suitable for both tender nut and ripe nut processing. The average yield is 3.26 kg dry tender processed nuts/palm/year or 3.96 kg dry kernel/palm/year.
Mangala (VTL-3)
It is a variety of areca nut recommended for Kerala. Released from CPCRI Regional Station, Vittal. Semi-tall type. Early bearing, early yield stabilization, high fruit set, and yield. Mean yield: 10 kg ripe nuts/palm/year. The nut possesses good quality attributes.
It is a variety of recant recommended for Kerala. The important feature of this variety is its great uniformity. The nut is very big and uniform. The bunches are well placed, and nuts are loosely arranged on spikes, which help in their uniform development and also enable efficient plant protection measures. It yields better than other selections. Bunches are well spaced. Mean yield: 19.5 kg ripe nuts/palm/year.
Sree Mangala (VTL – 17)
It is a tall variety of areca nut recommended for Kerala. Released for CPCRI Regional Station, Vittal. Tall variety. Tolerant to burrowing nematodes, Radopkolus similes. Nuts are round and oval. It starts flowering in 4-5 years. Nuts are oblong to round in shape with a deep yellow color. Mean yield 15.6 kg ripe nuts/palm/year.
Sumangala (VTL-11)
It is a tall variety of areca nut recommended for Kerala. Released for CPCRI Regional Station, Vittal. Early bearing, early yield stabilization, high fruit set, and yield. Tolerant to burrowing nematodes, Radopkolus similes. Mean yield 17:5 kg ripe nuts/palm/year. Nuts are oval and medium in size. The color of the ripe nuts is deep yellow to orange and oblong to round in shape.
VTLAH 1
It is a high-yield hybrid variety. The variety developed from CPCRI, Kasaragod. The variety is dwarf that makes harvesting from the ground easy. Sturdy stem with superimposed nod es, reduced canopy size, well spread leaves, partial drooping crown, medium sized oval to round and yellow-orange-colored nuts, early stabilization in yield, and high recovery of Chali are the striking features of this hybrid. The average Chali yield of this hybrid is 2.54 kg/palm/year.
VLTAH 2
It is a high-yielding hybrid variety. The variety developed from CPCRI, Kasaragod. The variety is dwarf that makes harvesting from the ground easy. Medium thick stem with superimposed nodes, reduced canopy size, well spread leaves, drooping crown, medium-sized oval nuts, early stabilization in yield, and high recovery of Chali are the other features of this hybrid. The average Chali yield of this hybrid is 2.64 kg/palm/year.
Swarna Mangala
It is a tall, high-yielding hybrid variety of areca nut recommended for Kerala. nuts are bigger and heavier. Average yield of this variety is 3.88 kg Chali/palm/year. It is a high-yield variety with homogeneous populations.
Kasaragod an Areca nut
The Kasaragod an Areca nut is a prized variety known for its robustness, consistent yields, and high-quality nuts. Cultivated for generations in the Kasaragod district of Kerala, this variety offers numerous advantages for farmers seeking a dependable and profitable crop. These resilient trees boast tall, sturdy frames with medium-thick stems, on average, a well-maintained plant can produce between 2.5 kg to 6 kg of areca nut per year, depending on climatic conditions and management practices.
Inter C Mangala
Inter C Mangala Areca Nut Plant is a hybrid variety of Mangala Areca nut. It is a high yielding variety with 1500-2000 nuts per tree when grown up. Inter c Mangala is most cultivated in Mangalore region of Karnataka. This dwarf variety has attracted many farmers around for its high yield and dwarf nature. This variety is also tolerant to a variety of diseases. Requires moderate water and good sunlight. The plant produce provides 15-20kg of areca nut (betel nut) if taken care correctly. That’s a significant increase when comparing with other varieties, translating to more income for you. The areca nuts from this variety also have more weight than other Mangala varieties.
These are the types of areca nut; it is an important commercial crop providing livelihood security for millions of people in rural and urban areas. Areca nut is an essential ingredient of ‘gutka’ and ‘pan masala’. It is consumed both as a raw/ripe nut, as dried ripe nut, and as semi-mature.