This study was undertaken during March 2013 to April 2014 in the areca nut garden of Mr Nayak Ramaswamy, Survey No 45, 47 Bannur Village Sakarayapatna Hobli Kadur Taluk of Chickmagalore District of Karnataka State India. The data revealed that number of spadix depends on the number of leaf produce. The absence of bunch in any node is due to the abortion of young spadix. By artificially opening the leaf sheath and spathe, the abortion of spadix (inflorescence) is avoided and the number of spadix/plant significantly increased to 5.80 per plant against the 4.25 spadix per plant in control. Artificial Opening of Leaf sheath and inflorescence brought the benefit cost ratio for Areca nut farmers compared to farmers of traditional practice, from 1.87 to 2.58. Whereas increasing yield in Artificial Opened Leaf sheath and inflorescence was 9141 Kg of matured whole nut per acre compared to 6287 Kg in tradional practice.
Areca Nut, inflorescence, Leaf Sheath, Yield, Female Flower
