The phenology of coconut palms provides information which makes cultivars selection possible, due to characteristics that allow greater efficiency in environmental use, making its behavior predictable in any conditions. For this reason, the phenology of dwarf coconut palms was studied in the north of Sergipe coastal tablelands. The experiment was carried out at the Agreste commercial plantation, at a randomized block design with four treatments and four replications using eight plants per plot. The studied dwarf coconut cultivars were: the Malayan Yellow Dwarf (MYD), the Malayan Red Dwarf (MRD), the Cameroon Red Dwarf (CRD) and the 'Green Dwarf of Jiqui' (BGDJ) regarding the number of alive leaves (NAL), number of emitted leaves (NEL) and the number of dead leaves (NDL); number of emitted inflorescences (NEI), female flowers per inflorescence (NFFI), fruits at three (NFr3) and six (NrF6) months old, fruit weight and fruit water volume. The data were submitted to analysis of variance, which was made by Sisvar program, 4.3 version (InstallShield Corporation, Inc. Lavras, MG). The analysis was based on the cultivars averages concerning each characteristic and then, submitted to the test of Tukey at 5% of probability. During most of our research period, the MYD showed the greatest NAL, while the CRD, the smallest. The BGDJ has showed superiority in relation to reproductive characters such as NFFI and NFr6. Results have shown the BGDJ is the most adaptive cultivar to Platô de Neópolis-SE conditions.
Cocos nucifera L.; growth; flowering; frutification
