At a Glance: Coconut palms can require salt (sodium chloride) as a fertilizer to support plant health and improve nut production. Young plants, as well as plants grown inland or upland, are at increased risk for chloride deficiency. This publication from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience advises Hawai'i growers on how to use salt as a fertilizer for coconut palms, emphasizing research findings from plantings on volcanic soils.