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Lethal Yellow redress

Horticultural Society networks to address lethal yellowing

Re printed from  the Observer  Newspaper

St. John’s Antigua- A non-profit organisation which deals with the protection of the country’s flora and fauna is coming to the aid of the government as it seeks to rid the country of the lethal yellowing disease.

President of the Antigua & Barbuda Horticultural Society Barbara Japal said her organisation is looking at instituting a number of programmes to help create a greater level of awareness.

The group is in the process of connecting with regional bodies to complement the work of the government.

Japal said the Society would be seeking to address the devastating disease by collaborating with other organisations across the region also affected by the virus.

“We have dialogued with horticulture societies in our neighbouring islands – Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis to share their experiences on a weekly basis just to keep us up to date with what’s going on,” Japal said.

She said the Society will also be producing information materials to be made available on its website.

Japal continued that, during the last four decades, outbreaks of lethal yellowing disease have killed most of the once prevalent taller coconut cultivars in parts of Florida and some Caribbean islands.

The president added that while coconuts are the most economically important palms affected by the disease, 35 other palm species are also susceptible to lethal yellowing.

The government, over the past few months, has been moving speedily to tackle lethal yellowing which has the potential to wipe out the country’s coconut industry.

Lethal yellowing results in the premature shedding of fruits and causes the leaf to become yellow, resulting in the plant dying within three to six months of the disease appearing.

The Plant Protection Unit, headed by Dr Janil Gore-Francis, has been tasked with rolling out a management plan to control the disease.

 

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Lethal Yellow

The Plant Hopper

The PlantHopper

Can we all imagine?  LIFE WITH OUT COCONUT AND PALMS

DISEASE: Lethal yellowing of palms

PATHOGEN: ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma palmae’

HOSTS: Palms (species in the family Arecaceae); Pandanus utilis (Pandanaceae)

Lethal Yellowing on Coconut Palms

The Antigua Barbuda Horticultural Society  must address this devastating disease to our palm trees with an urgent and collective voice, we want to help to  educate the public on what to look for and what to do.

FACTS

This is the reality

During the last four decades, outbreaks of lethal yellowing disease have killed most of the once prevalent tall-type coconut cultivars in parts of Florida and some Caribbean Islands

While coconuts are the most important economic palms affected by this disease, 35 other palm species are susceptible to lethal yellowing.

The Symptoms

Symptom observed on mature palms (the first symptom for immature palms or non-fruit bearing palms) is foliar discoloration.

This symptom varies markedly among coconut cultivars and other palm genera.

For tall-type coconut cultivars (e.g., ‘Jamaica Tall’), the foliage turns yellow, beginning with the lowermost (oldest) leaves and progressing until the entire crown is affected.

In some cases, this symptom is first seen as a solitary, yellowed leaf (“flag leaf”) in the middle of the leaf canopy.

Typically, yellowed leaves remain turgid, but eventually turn brown, desiccate, and hang down to form a skirt around the trunk for several weeks before falling.

As leaf yellowing advances, the spear (youngest) leaf collapses and hangs down in the crown. Death of the bud usually occurs when one-half to two-thirds of the crown has yellowed. Eventually, the entire crown of the palm withers and topples, leaving a bare trunk standing Infected palms usually die within 3 to 5 months after the first appearance of symptoms.

The Disease

Disease Management:

Please contact Dr. Gore Francis or Ms. Kishma Primus for the official word at 764 7378

or

The only effective cure is prevention, i.e. planting resistant varieties of coconut palms and look for certified nuts to replant, know  their history and where they are sourced, we must now question plant sellers before you buy and before you plant, and preventing environments ( park or golf like landscapes) this attracts the plant hopper, by being vigilant and inspect your garden for signs of  this little green flying insect and diseased plants.

Control of planthopper populations  (carriers) could be controlled by repeated insecticide applications the antibiotic oxytetracycline HCl Terramycin in landscapes, but we must think hard before we use, since it can be  damaging to the environment over a period of time and with out a 100% guarantee. Planthoppers are flying insects, and they also can be blown around by wind.

Please cut down your diseased palm tree and burn it.