Makapuno coconut, also known as solid-core coconut (cream coconut), is a sub-species of coconut that has solid-core fruit, thick, soft, and fatty flesh compared to regular coconuts. Its water is denser and has a clarity akin to dew. Currently, only 9 out of 93 coconut-growing countries in the world cultivate Makapuno coconut. In Vietnam, the most famous area for Makapuno coconut cultivation is Tra Vinh province, where the cultivation and development processes have been ongoing for nearly 100 years. Makapuno coconuts were first grown in Tra Vinh in 1924, initially in Cau Ke district and gradually expanded to other districts in the province, becoming a unique specialty fruit of Tra Vinh. Beginning in 1960, Makapuno coconuts were commercialized for the first time in Tra Vinh, and by the early 2000s, Tra Vinh Makapuno coconuts had become one of the most expensive fruits in Vietnam, priced 10 to 20 times higher than regular coconuts. The unique characteristics of Makapuno coconut products have attracted the attention of many researchers. Numerous studies have been conducted to decode its uniqueness and to propose solutions for the preservation and development of Tra Vinh's Makapuno coconut specialty. In 1984, Tra Vinh Makapuno coconuts were collected and preserved by the Research Institute for Oil and Oil Plants (under the Ministry of Industry and Trade) within the coconut gene bank at the Dong Go Coconut Center and were identified by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) as part of the world's preserved coconut varieties. From 1993 to 2006, the Research Institute for Oil and Oil Plants continued to successfully research the propagation process of Makapuno coconut using embryo culture from the coconuts collected from Cau Ke district. At the end of 2008, Dr. Yukata Hirata and Dr. Takeshi Nakishima from the University of Tokyo (Japan), conducted research on the characteristics of Tra Vinh Makapuno coconut. In mid-2009, the Vice President of Viet Nam Gardening Association, Dr. Vo Mai, implemented a model for growing Makapuno coconut according to the Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices for safe fruit (VietGAP) in the Hoa Tan Makapuno coconut cooperative. In 2017, Tra Vinh University conducted a ministerial-level scientific research project titled "Research on propagating coconuts by tissue culture technology and intensive farming techniques for tissue-cultured varieties". The above research results have helped Makapuno coconut from Tra Vinh to take firm steps towards affirming its reputation, building a brand, and developing the local economy. 

 Traditional Tra Vinh Makapuno coconut 

Makapuno coconut implanted with Tra Vinh coconut embryos 

There are 2 types of Tra Vinh Makapuno coconut that are being commercially traded, which are traditional Makapuno coconut and embryo Makapuno coconuts. 

Traditional Makapuno coconut has a water content of 85.4 g – 406.8 g; fat content: 16.12 – 18.25 %; lauric acid content: 7.26 – 9.12 %; total sugar content: 3.14 – 4.29 %; vitamin C content: 6.21 – 7.35 mg/kg; potassium content: 1666 – 2384 mg/kg; magnesium content: 335.0 – 452.0 mg/kg; calcium content: 60.8 – 75.6 mg/kg.
Embryo-cultured Makapuno coconut has a water weight of 71.1 – 355.6 g; fat content: 15.86 – 18.11%; lauric acid content: 7.89 – 9.14%; total sugar content: 2.96 – 4.68%; vitamin C content: 6.33 – 7.53 mg/kg; potassium content: 1826.0 – 2366.0 mg/kg; magnesium content: 359.0 – 464.0 mg/kg; calcium content: 55.8 – 74.2 mg/kg.
Currently, Tra Vinh is the only province that grows traditional Makapuno coconuts with sufficient commercial capacity in the market and is a place with specific geographical conditions that create the distinctive characteristics and quality of the product.
The geographical area has a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April of the following year. The average annual rainfall is less than 2,000 mm. The total rainfall during the period of Makapuno coconut quality formation (8 months) in Tra Vinh is low (700 – 1600 mm).
High humidity during the year coincides with the rainy season, reaching about 86 – 90%. The average humidity is low in the dry months, ranging from 78 – 83%. The average humidity of the months has a difference of about 10% between the highest and lowest values. Tra Vinh has a radiation value of over 15,106 kcal/ha/year, making it one of the places with a total of about 2,400 hours of sunshine per year. The average total sunshine hours range from 140 – 280 hours, with the average daily sunshine hours during the dry season ranging from 7 – 9 hours, while during the rainy season, it is from 5 – 6 hours.
Direct irrigation water source for Tra Vinh is from the Tien River and Hau River through the Nam Mang Thit irrigation project. In addition, the irrigation system supplies water to the inland areas with a total length of 578 km and 1,876 km of primary and secondary channels. The rivers and canals in Tra Vinh mainly flow into the sea through two main estuaries, namely Co Chien estuary (also known as Cung Hau estuary) and Dinh An estuary. In the dry season, saltwater from the East Sea intrudes quite early into Tra Vinh province through the two branches of the Co Chien River and Hau River, with the salinity boundary reaching over 4‰ and the depth of influence extending from 60 to 70 km.
The irrigation water source from the ditch system in the coconut garden in Tra Vinh has a high soluble potassium content (≥ 4.21 mg/L), a high NH4+ content (≥ 1.33 mg/L), and a high NO3- content (≥ 3.20 mg/L).
Soil for planting coconut Makapuno in Tra Vinh mainly consists of Anthrosols (originating from various groups and types of soil: saline soil, acid sulfate soil, alluvial soil, etc.). The surface layers of acid sulfate soil in Anthrosols are almost no longer affected by the deeper acid sulfate layer, with an iron content in the soil ≤ 30 mg/100g. The progression of salt intrusion increases salinity in the soil with a high concentration of dissolved salts (which can reach over 9‰).
Makapuno coconut variety is a mutated variety (Cocos nucifera var. Sap) from the ordinary coconut (Cocos nucifera) recognized by Decision No. 4864/QĐ-BNN-TT on November 24, 2016, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Traditional Makapuno coconuts are propagated using regular coconuts alongside Makapuno coconuts, allowing the fruits to germinate naturally. Embryo-cultured Makapuno coconuts are propagated using embryos from Makapuno coconut fruits, through cultivation methods in an exogenous nutrient mixture: sugar, minerals (NH4+, NO3-, K+, Cl-, Mg2+, Ca2+, Na+, Fe2+), and growth regulators.
The planting distance for coconut trees with embryo culture is 8m x 8m or 6m x 8m, and for traditional coconut trees, it is 6.5m x 6.5m or 6.5m x 7m.
The geographic area is enriched with sediment once a year or once every two years, increasing the mineral content in the soil for coconut cultivation in Tra Vinh with a high available phosphorus content (≥ 15.98 mg/kg), a high available potassium content (≥ 13.25 mg/kg), a high available nitrogen content (≥ 5.12 mg/kg), a high Mg2+ content (≥ 1.63 cmol⁺/kg), and a high Ca2+ content (≥ 7.16 cmol⁺/kg).
Tra Vinh's Makapuno coconut is harvested when there are sunburn marks on the surface of the fruit's shell and the coconut reaches the age of 12 months (if harvested during the dry season) or 12.5 months (if harvested during the rainy season).
Geographic area: Cau Ke town and the communes of Chau Dien, Phong Phu, Phong Thanh, Ninh Thoi, Hoa Tan, An Phu Tan, Tam Ngai, Hoa An, Thong Hoa, Thanh Phu belonging to Cau Ke district; Chau Thanh town and the communes of Da Loc, Hoa Loi, Hoa Minh, Hoa Thuan, Hung My, Long Hoa, Luong Hoa, Luong Hoa A, My Chanh, Nguyet Hoa, Phuoc Hao, Song Loc, Thanh My belonging to Chau Thanh district; Cang Long town and the communes of An Truong, An Truong A, Binh Phu, Dai Phuc, Dai Phuoc, Duc My, Huyen Hoi, My Cam, Nhi Long, Nhi Long Phu, Phuong Thanh, Tan An, Tan Binh belonging to Cang Long district, Tra Vinh province.
  

Source: Bảo hộ chỉ dẫn địa lý “Trà Vinh” cho sản phẩm quả dừa sáp 
Translator: Nguyễn Hải Phong