Plantation Crops

Diseases in oil palm

1) Spear rot
2) Bud rot
3) Bunch failure are the major diseases of oil palm.
4) Basal stem rot ( Ganoderma disease)

Spear rot
It is a lethal and infectious disease found in the oil palm plantations of Kerala.

Cause:
• Several micro organisms are associated with this disease and most common ones are Fungi viz., Fusarium moniliformae and Collatotrichum gloesporioides
• MLO and
• Bacteria

Symptoms:
• Yellowing of the youngest whorl of the unfolded leaves: Yellowing of the youngest whorl of the unfolded leaves is the initial symptom. Yellowing starts from the tips of leaves and spreads mostly along the margins of leaflets.
• The chloratic area later turns brown and dries up.
Management: In view of uncertain etiology
• Rouging : Rouging of the affected palm is recommended to prevent the spread of this malady. We have to go for rouging RWD ( root wilt disease in coconut) and YLD affected coconut and arecanut palms also from the vicinity.
• Barrier trees : Raising quick growing barrier trees in the border of the plantation to prevent vector movement from RWD/YLD source .