NUT WATER ANALYSIS AS A DIAGNOSTIC-TOOL IN COCONUT NUTRITION STUDIES

Coconut water (liquid endosperm) is used as a diagnostic tool in studies on coconut nutrition. Ease of sampling, minimum sampling error, a limited preparative phase in both sampling and chemical analysis, and economy in use of chemicals are positive features. Modem instrumentation, especially flame emission and absorption, makes possible the direct estimation of cations on diluted samples of nut water, an added advantage. Phosphorus, S and Cl are estimated by colorimetry, turbidimetry/HPLC and coulometry, respectively. A comparison of nut water analysis to leaf analysis showed that nut water analysis is sensitive to Na and K, not to Ca or Mg. Nut water analysis is equally sensitive to P, S and Cl content. Nitrogen remains elusive, and workers must use the standard Kjeldahl procedure, which concentrates the nut water and involves acid digestion and distillation. Work carried out so far on micro nutrients has been inadequate.