Germination to seedling stage
Termites
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves and stem • Growing tip eaten way by the temites
• Locate termite mounds in or near the coconut nursery or garden and destroy.

• Spray chlorpyriphos @ 3ml/lit of water, neem oil 5% or

• NSKE 20% to preserve plaited coconut leaves from the termite attack.
White grub/ Cockchafer beetle: (Leucopholis coneophora)
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
roots • Grubs feet the tender roots and tunnel into the bole of the collar region resulting in drying and yellowing. Mechanical Method:

• Set up light trap @ 1 / ha or bonfire.

Chemical Method:

• Soil application: Malathion 5 D or endosulfan 4D 25 kg/ ha at the time of planting (Treat the soil with phorate 10G @ 100 g/palm or drench with chlorpyrifos 0.04% suspension. The treatment should be given twice, first during April-May after the receipt of pre-monsoon showers and second during the month of September).

  
Rodents: Rats and Squirrels.
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
seedling

• Damage to seeds and seedlings in nurseries by rats and squirrels.


• Stunted growth and drying up of seedlings and trees due to Chewing and nibbling of the roots of saplings and young trees.


• Chew through the collar into the crown and kill young plants of coconut, this type of damage is the main cause of loss and it involves damage to coconut.



• A clean environment discourages rodents from establishing in an area.

• Reduction in bund thickness and height discourages them from burrowing.

• Acute Rodenticides: Zinc phosphide, aluminium phosphide @ 2 tablets per hole

Nematodes: Burrowing nematode: (Radopholus similis)
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Roots • Damage the roots of coconut.

• The nematode survives in roots of felled trees up to six months.

• Elongated orange colour lesions are seen on tender and semi hard roots.

• Lesions enlarge and coalesce to cause extensive rotting of roots in consequent to nematode parasitization and multiplication.

• Tender roots become spongy in texture on heavy infestation.
Biological Method:

  • Application of cowdung, farmyard manure, oil cakes and green manure to the basins.
  • Grow green manure crop Crotolaria juncea in the basin and interspaces.
  • Incorporate leaves and tender stem of Crotolaria juncea, Pueraria javanica and Glyricidia maculate into the soil in Sep-Oct.
Chemical Method:
  • Application of phorate 10G @ 100 g/palm/twice a year, during May-June and Sep- Oct.

Cultural Method:
  • Use of less susceptible, tolerant cultivars or hybrids of coconut and grow intercrops in infested areas.
  • Avoid use of banana as a shade crops in coconut nurseries

 

Bud rot/heart rot: (Phytophthora palmivora)
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Leaves, buds, young nuts • Fungus enters into plant by infecting tender host tissues (leaves, buds or young nuts). Affected leaves turn yellow and later brown. The heart leaf becomes chlorotic, wilts and collapses. it can be pulled out easily.

• Disease spread to older, adjacent leaves and spathes, producing a dead centre with a fringe of living leaves.

• Light brown to yellow, oily, sunken lesions may be found on leaf bases, stipules or pinnae.

• Internally, the tissues beneath the bud are discoloured pink to purple with a dark brown border. Affected leaves progressively drop. Infected nuts show brown to black necrotic areas with a yellow border developing on the surface; internally, they have a mottled appearance.

• Young nuts are highly susceptible and fail to mature, they then fall off the tree and older infected nuts ripen normally. 		Cultural Method:

• Provide adequate drainage in gardens.

• Adopt proper spacing.

• Avoid over crowding in bud rot prone gardens.

Chemical method :

• Remove the affected tissue of the crown region and drench the crown with 0.25% Copper oxychloride.

• Spray 0.25% Copper oxychloride on the crown of the neighbouring palms as a prophylactic measure before the onset of monsoon.

• Spray with Copper oxychloride 0.25% after the onset of Monsoon.

 

 

Root wilt: Phytoplasma
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Droopiness of leaflets is the characteristic symptom.

• Yellowing of leaf tips to the middle of the leaves, necrosis of leaflets.

• Deterioration and decay of root system.

• The leaflets curve inward to produce ribbing so that the whole frond develops a cup like appearance.


  • Grow green manure crops - cowpea, sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea), Mimosa invisa, Calapagonium mucanoides, Pueraria phaseoloides etc. in coconut basins during April-May and incorporated during September-October.

  • Ensure proper irrigation

  • InAdopt suitable inter/mixed cropping in coconut gardens.

  • Provide adequate drainage facilities.


  

Nitrogen
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Leaves

•yellow undersized leaves


•severe retardation of growth

•twigs become yellow in color

•fruits smaller and mature early

•leaves small with general yellowing

 • Application of recommended nitrogenous fertilizers (69kg of Urea/acre) or foliar application of Urea 20gm-40gm/lit water at fortnightly intervals.  

 

 

 

Young plant Stage I
Termites
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Leaves, Roots and trunk • Wilting of seedlings

• Roots eaten away by termites.

Cultural Method:

• Locate termite mounds in or near the coconut nursery or garden and destroy.

• Adoption of field sanitation by disposal of organic matter in nursery soil and covering germinating nuts with a layer of river sand.

Chemical Method:

• Spray Copper Sulphate 1% or Cashew Nut Shell oil 80% or spray Chlorpyriphos @ 3ml/lit of water, Neem Oil 5% or NSKE 20%.


• Apply calcium at the base of the trunk for control of termite attack.


• Swabbing with neem oil 5% once on the base and upto 2 m height of the trunk.

Black headed caterpillar: Opisina arenosella
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Dried up patches on leaflets of the lower leaves, only three or four youngest leaves at the center remain green.

• Galleries of silk and frass on underside of leaflets.

• Whole plantations present a scorched appearance in case of severe infestation.

Cultural Method:

• Remove and burn all affected leaves/leaflets.

Biological method:

• Release bethylid larval parasitoids, Goniozus nephantidis at 1:8 of host-parasitoid ratio.

• Release the parasitoid @3000/ha under the coconut trees when the pest is in the 2nd or 3rd instar larval stage. Use parasitoid release trap to release the parasitoid at the site of feeding.

• Don't release the Parasitoids in the crown region since they will be killed by predators like spiders and reduvid bugs.

Chemical Method:

• Spray malathion 50 EC 0.05% (1mi/lit) to cover the undersurface of the leaves thoroughly in case of severe epidemic outbreak of the pest in young palms.


Root feeding :

• Secure the bag tightly to the root with a cotton thread.


• After twenty four hours, check whether there is absorption or not. Select another root when there is no absobtion. This method should not be resorted to as a routine practice and it is suggested only for cases of severe epidemic outbreak of the pest and when the survival of the tree is threatened.



Stem injection:


White grub: Leucopholis coneophora
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Leaves • Leaves turn yellow.

• Premature nut shedding.

• Flowering delayed.

• White grubs are exposed when base of the tree dug.

Cultural method:

  • Plough the field repeatedly for 4 to 5 times at once in a week after first rains in summer to reduce the pest population by exposing them to birds and other animals.
  • Plant neem twigs with leaves in coconut gardens after rain to attract and kill adult beetles.
  • Plough or dig the infested soil synchronizing with pre-monsoon showers.
Physical Method:
  • Collect and destroy the adult beetles attracted to trees like neem, Ailanthus and Acasia on the receipt of monsoon showers (in the evening).

Mechanical Method:
  • Set up light trap @ 1 / ha or bonfire.

Chemical Method:
  • Soil application: Malathion 5 D or 25 kg/ ha at the time of planting (Treat the soil with phorate 10G @ 100 g/palm or drench with chlorpyrifos 0.04% suspension. Give this treatment twice, first during April-May after the receipt of pre-monsoon showers and second during the month of September.

  
Slug caterpillar: Parasa lepida and Contheyla rotunda
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Young larvae feed on the lower epidermis of the leaf.

• As they mature, the whole leaf blade is eaten leaving the midribs.

• In heavy infestation, the larvae may defoliate the palm.

Mechanical Method:

  • Set up light traps to trap and collect adult moths.
Chemical Method:
  • Collect and destroy the immature stages of the insects by conducting study (or neem campaign) wherever possible and spray carbaryl 50 WP 2 gm/lit.

  • Apply 0.1% carbaryl or suspension on the newly opened inflorescence after the receptive phase of the female flowers and spray the entire crown excluding the leaves and older bunches (at 45 days interval). Destruction of pollinating insects can be avoided if spraying is done in afternoon hours.

  • Spray dichlorvos 76 WSC 2 ml / lit.
Mealy bug: Pseudococcus longispinus
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves

• It feeds on plant sap.

• Leaves are yellowing and dried up. As a result, the leaves become highly stunted, suppressed, deformed and present a crinkled appearance.

• It colonize on all tender plant parts like bases of spear leaf, spadix and inflorescence and beneath the perianth of the nut.

• It infests the unopened heartleaf and inflorescence.

• It is often confused with the leaf rot symptoms. The affected inflorescences are malformed and do not open. Even if they open, they do not bear nuts.


• Button mealy bugs colonize under the perianth lobes of tender nuts. Infested nuts harbouring gravid mealy bugs remain on the spadix, which serve as inoculum for further spread.

 Cultural Method:

  • Remove leaflets harbouring these insects and destroy them.

Chemical Method:

Spray any one of the following

  • Malathion 50 EC @ 2 ml/lt
  • Dimethoate 30 EC @1 ml/lt
  • Methyl demeton 25 EC @1 ml/lt
  • Phosphamidon 40 SL @1.25 ml/lt
Scale Insect: Aspidiotus destructor
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves and nuts • It occurs more in summer, it affects leaves and nuts of coconut palms.

• At severe infestation, scale forms a continuous crust over flower spikes, young nuts and lower surface of leaves.

• Yellow spots on leaves.

• Entire leaves turn yellow to brown and falls.

• Infested coconut fronds exhibit yellow areas on the upper surface, formed by numerous yellow spots each marking the position of the coconut scale on the under surface. Development of sooty mould.

• Affected coconut palm turns bright yellow colour which is clearly visible from distance.

• In extreme cases, the leaves dry out, entire fronds drop off and the crown dies.

• Heavy infestation results in stunting of new leaves, reduction of crop yield or complete crop failure.
Biological Method:

  • Release of predatory Coccinellids, Chilocorus nigritius is found to be effective.
Chemical Method:
  • Spray Fish Oil Rosin Soap (FORS) 2.5% or spray Fenthion / Malathion. A second round is given after 20 days.
  • Do not harvest nuts for 45 days after spraying.


Scales on leaf and tender coconut
Rhinoceros Beetle: Oryctes rhinoceros
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves and trunk • The adult beetle bores into the unopened fronds and spathes. Damage by the pest leads to 10 to 15% loss in yield.

• The attacked frond shows characteristic triangular cuts when fully opened.

• Central spindle appears cut or toppled.

• Fully opened fronds showing characteristic diamond shaped cuttings.

• Holes with chewed fibre sticking out at the base of central spindle.
Cultural Method:

  • Remove and burn dead coconut trees in the garden (which are likely to serve as breeding ground).
  • Collect and destroy the various bio-stages of the beetle from the manure pits (breeding ground of the pest) whenever manure is lifted from the pits.
Mechanical Method:
  • During peak period of population build up, the adult beetle may be extracted from palm crown using GI hooks.
  • Set up light traps following the first rains in summer and monsoon period to attract and kill the adult beetles.

Chemical Method:
  • After extraction of the adult beetle from the palm, the holes should be filled with a mixture of 3g Mancozeb + 1 kg find sand.
  • The topmost three leaf axils around the spindle may be filled with any of the following mixtures as a prophylactic measure:
    1. Sevidol 8G 25 g + fine sand 200 g, which is to be done thrice in a year in April-May, September-October and December-January.
    2. For seedlings, apply Naphthalene balls 10.5 g (approx. three to four balls) covered with fine sand, once in 45 days.
  • Place phorate 10 G 5 g in perforated sachets in two inner most leaf axils for 2 times at 6 months intervals.
  • Treat manure pits and other possible breeding sites with 0.01% carbaryl (50 % WP) on w/w basis. Treatment will have to be repeated in every three months.
Trap Method:
  • Set up Rhino lure pheromone trap @ 5 traps/ha to trap and kill the beetles. The dispenser may be hanged in a plastic bucket having 2 liter of insecticide solution once in a week. Trapped beetles can be disposed off.
Biological Method:
  • Application of green muscardine fungus, Metarrhizium anisopliae @ 5 x 1011 spores / m3 - spray 250ml Metarrizhium culture + 750ml water in manure pits to check the perpetuation of the pest.
  • Field release of Baculovirus oryctes inoculated adult rhinoceros beetle @ 15 beetles/ha reduces the leaf and crown damage caused by this beetle.
  • Soak castor cake at 1 kg in 5 liter of water in small mud pots and keep them in the coconut gardens to attract and kill the adults.
  • Apply mixture of either neem seed powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm or neem seed kernel powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm in the base of the 3 inner most leaves in the crown.
 
 
Red palm weevil: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
trunk • Make holes on trunk and hole can be seen on the stem with chewed up fibres protruding out.

• Oozing of reddish brown liquid from the hole.

• The grubs cause damage inside the stem or crown by feeding on soft tissues and bore into the soft, growing parts.

• Inside portion of trunk is completely eaten and become full of rotting fibres in case of severe infestation.

• In case of young palms the top withers while in older palms the top portion of trunk bends and ultimately breaks at the bend (wilting).

• Sometimes the gnawing sound produced by the feeding grubs inside will also be audible.

• In the advanced stage of infestation yellowing of the inner whorl of leaves occur. The crowns falls down or dry up later when palm is dead.
Cultural Method:

  • Remove and burn all wilting or damaged palms to prevent further perpetuation of the pest.

  • Avoid the cutting of green leaves. If needed, they should be cut about 120 cm away from the stem in order to prevent inward movement of grubs through cut end.

Trap Method:

  • Coconut log traps:
    Setting up of attractant traps (mud pots) containing sugarcane molasses 2½ kg or toddy 2½ litres (or pineapple or sugarcane activated with yeast or molasses) + acetic acid 5 ml + yeast 5 g + longitudinally split tender coconut stem/logs of green petiole of leaves of 30 numbers in one acre to trap adult red palm weevils in large numbers. Incorporate any of the insecticide to each trap to kill the weevils trapped.

  • Install pheromone trap @ one trap per ha
    Step 1: Specialized buckets with 3 of 4 holes are made, the bucket is wound with coconut fibre/ jute sack, so that the pests can enter.
    Step 2: The lure (Ferrolure +) is suspended inside the bucket and one lit of water is added along with 100g pineapple/ sugarcane, 2g yeast and 2g Carbaryl in the bucket.
    Step 3: The bait buckets are placed at sites in the farm, where infestation is seen most.
    Step 4: After a week the water is checked for the catch & re filled to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

Chemical Method:
  • Observe for the bore- holes and seal them except the top most one in attacked palms. Through the top most hole, pour 1% carbaryl (20gm/lt) or 0.2% trichlorphon suspension @ one litre per palm, using a funnel, then plug this hole. Repeat this after one week if needed.
  • When the pest infestation is through the crown, clean the crown and slowly pour the insecticidal suspension. 1. Stem injection
  • In case of entry of weevil through the trunk, plug the hole in trunk cement / tar.
  • Make a slanting hole in trunk with the aid of an auger and pour the insecticide solution with funnel.
  • Fill the crown and the axils of top most three leaves with a mixture of fine sand and neem seed powder or neem seed kernel powder (2:1) or lindane 1.3 D (1:1 by volume) once in three months to prevent the attack of rhinoceros beetle damage in which the red palm weevil lays eggs.
  • 2. Root Feeding
  • Secure the bag tightly to the root with a cotton thread.
  • After twenty four hours check for whether there is absorption or not, select another root if there is no absorbtion.
  • These methods should not be resorted to as a routine practice and it is suggested only for cases of severe epidemic outbreak of the pest and when the survival of the tree is threatened.

 
 
Bud rot/heart rot: Phytophthora palmivora
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Leaves, petioles, twigs, branches and fruits. • Spear becomes pale and breaks at the base and hangs down.

• Rotting slowly progresses downwards, finally affecting the meristem and killing the palms. This is accompanied by drooping of successive leaves.

• Even then, nuts that are retained on the palm may grow to maturity.

• The disease is fatal if not checked at the early stages, before damage of the bud. 		 

 
Root wilt: Phytoplasma.
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Droopiness of leaflets is the characteristic symptom.

• Yellowing of leaf tips to the middle of the leaves, necrosis of leaflets.

• Deterioration and decay of root system.

• The leaflets curve inward to produce ribbing so that the whole frond develops a cup like appearance.


  • Grow green manure crops - cowpea, sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea), Mimosa invisa, Calapagonium mucanoides, Pueraria phaseoloides etc. in coconut basins during April-May and incorporated during September-October.

  • Ensure proper irrigation

  • InAdopt suitable inter/mixed cropping in coconut gardens.

  • Provide adequate drainage facilities.


  
Leaf Rot:
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves

• This disease is a fungal complex initiated predominantly by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Exserohilum rostratum and Fusarium spp.


• Water soaked brown lesions in the spear leaves of root-wilt affected palms.

• Spots enlarge and coalesce result into extensive rotting.

• As the leaf unfurls, the rotten portions of the lamina dry and get blown off in wind, giving a 'fan' shape to the leaves.


• Spear fails to unfurl when disease is acute.

Physical Method:
  • Remove the rotten portions from the spear and the two adjacent leaves.

Chemical Method:

  • Pour fungicide solution of Hexaconazol (Contaf 5E) - 2ml or Mancozeb (Dithane M45/Indifil M45) - 3g in 300ml water per palm to the base of spindle leaf. 2-3 rounds of spraying for mild infection.

  • Treat the top two leaf axils with insecticide preparation. This can be prepared by mixing phorate 10 G / sevidol / carbaryl 20 g with 200 g sand or powered neem cake 250g mix with equal quantity of sand around the base of the spindle.

  • Spray crowns and leaves with 1% Bordeaux mixture or 0.5% copper oxychloride formulations or 0.4% mancozeb in January, April-May and September. While spraying, care has to be taken to spray the spindle leaf.
 
 
Leaf Blight or Grey Leaf Spot: Pestalosia palmivora
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Minute yellow spots encircled by grayish bands appear on the surface of mature leaves of the outer whorl.

• Later they become grayish white. These spots coalesce into irregular necrotic patches.

• Complete drying and shriveling of the leaf blade at severe infection.

Physical Method:

  • Removal of the older 2-3 disease affected leaves and burn.
Chemical Method:
  • Spraying the foliage with 0.25% Copper oxychloride will check the spread of the disease.

  • Spray the trees with 1% Bordeaux mixture or propiconazole 0.3%.


 
 

 

Young Plant Stage II(5 to 20 years old - 1.Flowering, 2.Fruiting, 3.Ripening and Harvesting)
Termites
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves and trunk • Wilting of seedlings

• Roots eaten away by termites.

Cultural Method:

• Locate termite mounds in or near the coconut nursery or garden and destroy.

• Adoption of field sanitation by disposal of organic matter in nursery soil and covering germinating nuts with a layer of river sand.

Chemical Method:

• Spray Copper Sulphate 1% or Cashew Nut Shell oil 80% or spray Chlorpyriphos @ 3ml/lit of water, Neem Oil 5% or NSKE 20%.


• Apply calcium at the base of the trunk for control of termite attack.


• Swabbing with neem oil 5% once on the base and upto 2 m height of the trunk.

Affected shoot and panicle
Black headed caterpillar: Opisina arenosella
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Dried up patches on leaflets of the lower leaves, only three or four youngest leaves at the center remain green.

• Galleries of silk and frass on underside of leaflets.

• Whole plantations present a scorched appearance in case of severe infestation.

Cultural Method:

• Remove and burn all affected leaves/leaflets.

Biological method:

• Release bethylid larval parasitoids, Goniozus nephantidis at 1:8 of host-parasitoid ratio.

• Release the parasitoid @3000/ha under the coconut trees when the pest is in the 2nd or 3rd instar larval stage. Use parasitoid release trap to release the parasitoid at the site of feeding.

• Don't release the Parasitoids in the crown region since they will be killed by predators like spiders and reduvid bugs.

Chemical Method:

• Spray malathion 50 EC 0.05% (1mi/lit) to cover the undersurface of the leaves thoroughly in case of severe epidemic outbreak of the pest in young palms.


• Secure the bag tightly to the root with a cotton thread.


• After twenty four hours, check whether there is absorption or not. Select another root when there is no absobtion. This method should not be resorted to as a routine practice and it is suggested only for cases of severe epidemic outbreak of the pest and when the survival of the tree is threatened.



Stem injection:
Affected shoot and panicle



White grub: Leucopholis coneophora
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves and nuts • Leaves turn yellow.

• Premature nut shedding.

• Flowering delayed.

• White grubs are exposed when base of the tree dug.

Cultural method:

  • Plough the field repeatedly for 4 to 5 times at once in a week after first rains in summer to reduce the pest population by exposing them to birds and other animals.
  • Plant neem twigs with leaves in coconut gardens after rain to attract and kill adult beetles.
  • Plough or dig the infested soil synchronizing with pre-monsoon showers.
Physical Method:
  • Collect and destroy the adult beetles attracted to trees like neem, Ailanthus and Acasia on the receipt of monsoon showers (in the evening).

Mechanical Method:
  • Set up light trap @ 1 / ha or bonfire.
Chemical Method:
  • Soil application: Malathion 5 D or 25 kg/ ha at the time of planting (Treat the soil with phorate 10G @ 100 g/palm or drench with chlorpyrifos 0.04% suspension. Give this treatment twice, first during April-May after the receipt of pre-monsoon showers and second during the month of September.

  
Slug caterpillar: Parasa lepida and Contheyla rotunda
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Young larvae feed on the lower epidermis of the leaf.

• As they mature, the whole leaf blade is eaten leaving the midribs.

• In heavy infestation, the larvae may defoliate the palm.

Mechanical Method:

  • Set up light traps to trap and collect adult moths.
Chemical Method:
  • Collect and destroy the immature stages of the insects by conducting study (or neem campaign) wherever possible and spray carbaryl 50 WP 2 gm/lit.

  • Apply 0.1% carbaryl or endosulfan suspension on the newly opened inflorescence after the receptive phase of the female flowers and spray the entire crown excluding the leaves and older bunches (at 45 days interval). Destruction of pollinating insects can be avoided if spraying is done in afternoon hours.

  • Spray dichlorvos 76 WSC 2 ml / lit.
 
 
Mealy bug: Pseudococcus longispinus
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves

• It feeds on plant sap.

• Leaves are yellowing and dried up. As a result, the leaves become highly stunted, suppressed, deformed and present a crinkled appearance.

• It colonize on all tender plant parts like bases of spear leaf, spadix and inflorescence and beneath the perianth of the nut.

• It infests the unopened heartleaf and inflorescence.

• It is often confused with the leaf rot symptoms. The affected inflorescences are malformed and do not open. Even if they open, they do not bear nuts.


• Button mealy bugs colonize under the perianth lobes of tender nuts. Infested nuts harbouring gravid mealy bugs remain on the spadix, which serve as inoculum for further spread.

 Cultural Method:

  • Remove leaflets harbouring these insects and destroy them.

Chemical Method:

Spray any one of the following

  • Malathion 50 EC @ 2 ml/lt
  • Dimethoate 30 EC @1 ml/lt
  • Methyl demeton 25 EC @1 ml/lt
  • Phosphamidon 40 SL @1.25 ml/lt
 
 
Scale Insect: Aspidiotus destructor
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves and nuts • It occurs more in summer, it affects leaves and nuts of coconut palms.

• At severe infestation, scale forms a continuous crust over flower spikes, young nuts and lower surface of leaves.

• Yellow spots on leaves.

• Entire leaves turn yellow to brown and falls.

• Infested coconut fronds exhibit yellow areas on the upper surface, formed by numerous yellow spots each marking the position of the coconut scale on the under surface. Development of sooty mould.

• Affected coconut palm turns bright yellow colour which is clearly visible from distance.

• In extreme cases, the leaves dry out, entire fronds drop off and the crown dies.

• Heavy infestation results in stunting of new leaves, reduction of crop yield or complete crop failure.
Biological Method:

  • Release of predatory Coccinellids, Chilocorus nigritius is found to be effective.
Chemical Method:
  • Spray Fish Oil Rosin Soap (FORS) 2.5% or spray Fenthion / Malathion. A second round is given after 20 days.
  • Do not harvest nuts for 45 days after spraying.


Scales on leaf and tender coconut
 
Rhinoceros Beetle: Oryctes rhinoceros
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves and trunk • The adult beetle bores into the unopened fronds and spathes. Damage by the pest leads to 10 to 15% loss in yield.

• The attacked frond shows characteristic triangular cuts when fully opened.

• Central spindle appears cut or toppled.

• Fully opened fronds showing characteristic diamond shaped cuttings.

• Holes with chewed fibre sticking out at the base of central spindle.
Cultural Method:

  • Remove and burn dead coconut trees in the garden (which are likely to serve as breeding ground).
  • Collect and destroy the various bio-stages of the beetle from the manure pits (breeding ground of the pest) whenever manure is lifted from the pits.
Mechanical Method:
  • During peak period of population build up, the adult beetle may be extracted from palm crown using GI hooks.
  • Set up light traps following the first rains in summer and monsoon period to attract and kill the adult beetles.

Chemical Method:
  • After extraction of the adult beetle from the palm, the holes should be filled with a mixture of 3g Mancozeb + 1 kg find sand.
  • The topmost three leaf axils around the spindle may be filled with any of the following mixtures as a prophylactic measure:
    1. Sevidol 8G 25 g + fine sand 200 g, which is to be done thrice in a year in April-May, September-October and December-January.
    2. For seedlings, apply Naphthalene balls 10.5 g (approx. three to four balls) covered with fine sand, once in 45 days.
  • Place phorate 10 G 5 g in perforated sachets in two inner most leaf axils for 2 times at 6 months intervals.
  • Treat manure pits and other possible breeding sites with 0.01% carbaryl (50 % WP) on w/w basis. Treatment will have to be repeated in every three months.
Trap Method:
  • Set up Rhino lure pheromone trap @ 5 traps/ha to trap and kill the beetles. The dispenser may be hanged in a plastic bucket having 2 liter of insecticide solution (1.5 ml Endosulfan 35EC + 2 liter of water) once in a week. Trapped beetles can be disposed off.
Biological Method:
  • Application of green muscardine fungus, Metarrhizium anisopliae @ 5 x 1011 spores / m3 - spray 250ml Metarrizhium culture + 750ml water in manure pits to check the perpetuation of the pest.
  • Field release of Baculovirus oryctes inoculated adult rhinoceros beetle @ 15 beetles/ha reduces the leaf and crown damage caused by this beetle.
  • Soak castor cake at 1 kg in 5 liter of water in small mud pots and keep them in the coconut gardens to attract and kill the adults.
  • Apply mixture of either neem seed powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm or neem seed kernel powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm in the base of the 3 inner most leaves in the crown.
 
 
Red palm weevil: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves and trunk • Make holes on trunk and hole can be seen on the stem with chewed up fibres protruding out.

• Oozing of reddish brown liquid from the hole.

• The grubs cause damage inside the stem or crown by feeding on soft tissues and bore into the soft, growing parts.

• Inside portion of trunk is completely eaten and become full of rotting fibres in case of severe infestation.

• In case of young palms the top withers while in older palms the top portion of trunk bends and ultimately breaks at the bend (wilting).

• Sometimes the gnawing sound produced by the feeding grubs inside will also be audible.

• In the advanced stage of infestation yellowing of the inner whorl of leaves occur. The crowns falls down or dry up later when palm is dead.
Cultural Method:

  • Remove and burn all wilting or damaged palms to prevent further perpetuation of the pest.

  • Avoid the cutting of green leaves. If needed, they should be cut about 120 cm away from the stem in order to prevent inward movement of grubs through cut end.

Trap Method:

  • Coconut log traps:
    Setting up of attractant traps (mud pots) containing sugarcane molasses 2½ kg or toddy 2½ litres (or pineapple or sugarcane activated with yeast or molasses) + acetic acid 5 ml + yeast 5 g + longitudinally split tender coconut stem/logs of green petiole of leaves of 30 numbers in one acre to trap adult red palm weevils in large numbers. Incorporate any of the insecticide to each trap to kill the weevils trapped.

  • Install pheromone trap @ one trap per ha
    Step 1: Specialized buckets with 3 of 4 holes are made, the bucket is wound with coconut fibre/ jute sack, so that the pests can enter.
    Step 2: The lure (Ferrolure +) is suspended inside the bucket and one lit of water is added along with 100g pineapple/ sugarcane, 2g yeast and 2g Carbaryl in the bucket.
    Step 3: The bait buckets are placed at sites in the farm, where infestation is seen most.
    Step 4: After a week the water is checked for the catch & re filled to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

Chemical Method:
  • Observe for the bore- holes and seal them except the top most one in attacked palms. Through the top most hole, pour 1% carbaryl (20gm/lt) or 0.2% trichlorphon or suspension @ one litre per palm, using a funnel, then plug this hole. Repeat this after one week if needed.
  • When the pest infestation is through the crown, clean the crown and slowly pour the insecticidal suspension. 1. Stem injection
  • In case of entry of weevil through the trunk, plug the hole in trunk cement / tar.
  • Make a slanting hole in trunk with the aid of an auger and pour the insecticide solution with funnel.
  • Fill the crown and the axils of top most three leaves with a mixture of fine sand and neem seed powder or neem seed kernel powder (2:1) or lindane 1.3 D (1:1 by volume) once in three months to prevent the attack of rhinoceros beetle damage in which the red palm weevil lays eggs.
  • Secure the bag tightly to the root with a cotton thread.
  • After twenty four hours check for whether there is absorption or not, select another root if there is no absorbtion.
  • These methods should not be resorted to as a routine practice and it is suggested only for cases of severe epidemic outbreak of the pest and when the survival of the tree is threatened.

 
 
Eriophyid mite: Aceria guerreronis
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Nuts • The earliest symptom is pale yellow triangular patches seen below the perianth on 2-3 month old buttons and patches become brown.

• As the buttons grow, brown patches lead to black necrotic lesions with longitudinal fissures on the husk.

• Severely affected buttons fall from the tree.

• Oozing of the gummy exudation from surface of affected nuts.

•Uneven growth results in distortion and stunting of nuts leading to reduction in copra yield.

• Nuts are malformed with cracks and hardened husk in severe cases.


 Cultural Method:

  • Collect and destroy all the fallen buttons of the affected palm.

  • Grow intercrop (sun hemp, four crops/year) and shelter belt with casuarina all round the coconut garden to check further entry

  • Provide adequate irrigation.

  • Apply urea 1.3 kg, super phosphate 2.0kg and muriate of potash * 3.5 kg/palm/year
    (*Increased quantity is recommended to increase the plant resistance to the mite).

  • Soil application of micro nutrients like, Borax 50 g + gypsum 1.0kg + Manganese sulphate 0.5 kg/palm/ year TNAU Micronutrient solution 200 ml/tree

Chemical Method:

Root Feeding:

  • After root feeding, next harvest should be done 45 days later.

  • TNAU - Agro biocide - 30 ml/tree - (60 days after Carbosulfan root feeding).

  • Note: Pluck nuts before root feeding Spot application of ecofriendly Botanicals:

  • Round 1: Azadirachtin 1% (5 ml in one lit. of water)

  • Round 2: Neem oil + Teepol (30 ml in one lit. of water)

  • Neem cake application @ 5 kg per palm per year

  • Application of neem oil + garlic emulsion (2%):
    To prepare 10 litres of 2% neem oil + garlic emulsion, 200 ml neem oil, 200 g garlic and 50 g ordinary bar soap are required.
    Slice the bar soap and dissolve in 500 ml lukewarm water.
    Grind 200 g of garlic and take the extract in 300 ml of water.
    Pour the 500 ml soap solution in 200 ml neem oil slowly and stir vigorously to get a good emulsion.
    Mix the garlic extract in the neem oil + soap emulsion.
    Dilute this 1 litre stock solution by adding 9 litres of water to get 10 litres of 2 % neem oil + garlic emulsion.

Method of Application:
  • The botanicals should be applied in the sequence indicated above at 45 days interval using a one litre hand sprayer. Rocker or Pedal sprayer can be used for spraying small trees.

  • The spray should be applied at the crown region by a climber covering only the top six bunches during non rainy season.
    Precautions and safety measures

  • Spraying should be avoided during windy season to prevent contamination.

  • At the time of spraying, protective mask and clothing should be used.

  • Wash face and hands cleanly with soap after spraying.
 
 
Rat: Rattus rattus wroughtoni
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image

leaves, nuts and trunk

 

 • Damages tender nuts by forming characteristic holes.

• Shed nuts can be seen at the base of the palm.

 Mechanical Method:

  • Tree banding with inverted iron cones (Entry of rats on to the trunk can be prevented by fixing mechanical barriers upto 2m height from ground level using 40cm sized G.I. sheets) or Prosophis thorns.
  • Use rat traps
Chemical Method:
  • Baiting with bromodialone 0.005% at 10 g/tree at crown region twice at an interval of 12 days.
  • Fumigate the hiding places using Aluminium phosphide tablets.
  • Poison baits prepared by mixing 95 parts raw rice, three parts coconut oil and two parts zinc phosphide are placed in active burrows.


Rat eating cocnut flower; fallen affected nut
 
Palm Civet: Vivera zibatha
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Nuts • Falling of damaged nut with holes
  • Poison baiting with ripe banana fruit sandwiched with 0.5 g carbofuran 3 G granules.
 
 
Nematodes: Burrowing nematode: Radopholus similis
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves and roots

• Damage the roots of coconut.

• The nematode survives in roots of felled trees up to six months.

• Elongated orange colour lesions are seen on tender and semi hard roots.

• Lesions enlarge and coalesce to cause extensive rotting of roots in consequent to nematode parasitization and multiplication.

• Tender roots become spongy in texture on heavy infestation.


• Affected palms exhibit general decline, yellowing, button shedding, and reduction in leaf size.

 Biological Method:

  • Application of cowdung, farmyard manure, oil cakes and green manure to the basins.
  • Grow green manure crop Crotolaria juncea in the basin and interspaces.
  • Incorporate leaves and tender stem of Crotolaria juncea, Pueraria javanica and Glyricidia maculate into the soil in Sep-Oct.
Chemical Method:
  • Application of phorate 10G @ 100 g/palm/twice a year, during May-June and Sep- Oct.

Cultural Method:
  • Use of less susceptible, tolerant cultivars or hybrids of coconut and grow intercrops in infested areas.
  • Avoid use of banana as a shade crops in coconut nurseries
 
 
Bud rot/heart rot: Phytophthora palmivora
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Leaves, petioles, twigs, branches and fruits. • Spear becomes pale and breaks at the base and hangs down.

• Rotting slowly progresses downwards, finally affecting the meristem and killing the palms. This is accompanied by drooping of successive leaves.

• Even then, nuts that are retained on the palm may grow to maturity.

• The disease is fatal if not checked at the early stages, before damage of the bud.
  

 
Leaf Rot:
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves

• This disease is a fungal complex initiated predominantly by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Exserohilum rostratum and Fusarium spp.


• Water soaked brown lesions in the spear leaves of root-wilt affected palms.

• Spots enlarge and coalesce result into extensive rotting.

• As the leaf unfurls, the rotten portions of the lamina dry and get blown off in wind, giving a 'fan' shape to the leaves.


• Spear fails to unfurl when disease is acute.

Physical Method:
  • Remove the rotten portions from the spear and the two adjacent leaves.

Chemical Method:

  • Pour fungicide solution of Hexaconazol (Contaf 5E) - 2ml or Mancozeb (Dithane M45/Indifil M45) - 3g in 300ml water per palm to the base of spindle leaf. 2-3 rounds of spraying for mild infection.

  • Treat the top two leaf axils with insecticide preparation. This can be prepared by mixing phorate 10 G / sevidol / carbaryl 20 g with 200 g sand or powered neem cake 250g mix with equal quantity of sand around the base of the spindle.

  • Spray crowns and leaves with 1% Bordeaux mixture or 0.5% copper oxychloride formulations or 0.4% mancozeb in January, April-May and September. While spraying, care has to be taken to spray the spindle leaf.
 
 
Leaf Blight or Grey Leaf Spot: Pestalosia palmivora
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Minute yellow spots encircled by grayish bands appear on the surface of mature leaves of the outer whorl.

• Later they become grayish white. These spots coalesce into irregular necrotic patches.

• Complete drying and shriveling of the leaf blade at severe infection.

Physical Method:

  • Removal of the older 2-3 disease affected leaves and burn.
Chemical Method:
  • Spraying the foliage with 0.25% Copper oxychloride will check the spread of the disease.

  • Spray the trees with 1% Bordeaux mixture or propiconazole 0.3%.


 
 
Root wilt
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Flowering is delayed and also yield is considerably reduced.

• Tapering of terminal portion of the trunk.

• Reduction of leaf size.

• Abnormal bending or Ribbing of leaf lets termed as flaccidity.

• The characteristic symptom is the droopiness of leaflets.

• Yellowing of leaf tips to the middle of the leaves, necrosis of leaflets,

• Deterioration and decay of root system

• The leaflets curve inwardly to produce ribbing so that the whole frond develops a cup like appearance.

• Abnormal shedding of buttons and immature nuts are also noticed.

.
Cultural Method:

  • Cut and remove diseased, uneconomical palms yielding less than 10 nuts per palm per year
  • Grow green manure crops - cowpea, sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea), Mimosa invisa, Calapagonium mucanoides, Pueraria phaseoloides etc. in coconut basins during April-May and incorporated during September-October.
  • Irrigate coconut palms with at least 250 litre water in a week.
  • Adopt suitable inter/mixed cropping in coconut gardens.
  • Provide adequate drainage facilities.
  • Apply fertilizers at the rate of 0.34 kg N, 0.17 kg P2O5 and 0.68 kg K2O / palm / year in the form of urea, rock phosphate and muriate of potash, respectively. For palms under good management, fertilizers may be given @ of 0.5 kg N, 0.32 kg P2O5 and 1.2 kg K2O / palm / year.
  • Apply Magnesium @ 500 g MgO per palm per year in the sandy soil and 100 g MgO in the remaining areas. The cheapest source of MgO is magnesite (MgCO3). The magnesium in magnesite is acid soluble. Hence it may be preferred in acid soils.
  • Under rainfed conditions, apply fertilizers in two splits, 1/3rd at the time of early southwest monsoon and 2/3rd before the northeast monsoon. Under irrigated conditions apply fertilizers in three equal splits (April-May, August-September and December-January).
  • Apply fertilizers in 10 cm deep circular basins at a radius of 2 m from the bole of the palm.
    When the crop is grown under the bund and channel system, desilt the channel and strengthen the bunds during summer months.
Biological Method:
  • In addition to the above, apply 50 kg cattle manure or green manure and 1 kg of lime / palm / year.
  • Growing green manure crops like sunn hemp, sesbania, cowpea and calapagonium in the coconut basin and their incorporation in situ is beneficial as the practice reduces the intensity of the root (wilt) and increases the nut yield. The ideal green manure crops for the sandy and alluvial soils are cowpea and sesbania, respectively.
 
 
Stem bleeding: Thielaviopsis paradoxa
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves and trunk • Exudation of a dark reddish brown liquid from the longitudinal cracks in the bark and wounds on the stem trickling down for a distance of several inches to several feet.

• Lesions spread upwards as the disease progresses.

• Liquid oozing dries up and turns black.

• Tissues below the lesions become rotten and turn yellow first and later black.

• In advanced cases, the interior of affected trunks are hollow due to decay of interior tissues.

• As a result of extensive damage in the stem tissue, the outer whorl of the leaves turn yellow, dry and shed prematurely.

• Production of bunches is affected adversely. The trunk gradually tapers at the apex and crown size becomes reduced in chronic cases.

• Nut fall is also noticed.		 Cultural Method:

  • Destroy the chiseled materials by burning.
  • Avoid any mechanical injury to trunk.
  • Apply 5kg neem cake containing the antagonistic fungi, Trichoderma culture to the basin during September along with 50kg organic manure.
  • Provide adequate irrigation during summer and drainage during rainy season along with recommended fertilizer.
  • Apply neem cake at the rate of 5kg / palm in the basin along with other organics.
Chemical Method:
  • Remove/Chisel out the affected tissues and paint the wound with tridemorph 5% or Bordeaux paste.
  • Burn off chiseled pieces.
  • Apply coal tar after 1-2 days on the treated portion.
  • Root feed with tridemorph 5% (5% Calixin) 5ml in 100 ml water, thrice a year during April-May, September-October and January-February to prevent further spread of lesions.
  • Apply tridemorph @ 25 ml in 25 litre of water as soil drenching once in four months.


 
 
Tanjavur wilt/Ganoderma wilt: Ganoderma lucidem and Ganoderma applanatum
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
trunk •Withering, yellowing and drooping of the outer whorl of leaves.

• This is followed by exudation of reddish brown liquid through cracks at the base of the trunk and oozing spread upward. Tissues on bleeding spots are soft to touch.

• Decaying of tissues at bleeding point and rotting of basal portion of the stem

• Bark turns brittle and often gets peeled off in flakes, leaving open cracks and crevices. The internal tissues are discoloured and disintegrated, emitting a bad smell.

• Bracket formation at the base of the trunk.

• Ganoderma appears at the base of the trunk. Ultimately the palm dies.
 Cultural Method:

  • Remove and destroy all affected palms.
  • Green manure crops must be raised and ploughed in-situ at the time of flowering.
Biological Method:
  • Apply Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf1) @ 200g/palm + Trichoderma viride @ 200g/palm/year.
  • Apply 200g Phosphobacter and 200 g Azotobactor mixed with 50kg of FYM/palm.
  • Apply FYM 50kg + neem cake 5 Kg once in 6 months along with fertilizers.

Chemical Method:
  • Make trench around the tree, 4 feet away from the base of the trunk. Apply Sulphur dust inside the trench.
  • The bleeding patches in the stem may be chiseled and protected with tridemorph (5% calxin) and subsequently with hot coal tar.
  • Aureofungin-sol 2 g +1 g Copper Sulphate in 100ml water or 2 ml of Tridemorph in 100 ml water applied as root feeding. (The active absorbing root of pencil thickness must be selected and a slanting and a slanting cut is made. The solution to be taken in a polythene bag or bottle and the cut end of the root should be dipped in the solution).
  • Trunk injection / root feeding with Calixin 3 ml/tree.
  • Forty litres of 1% Bordeaux mixture should be applied as soil drench around the trunk in a radius of 1.5m

 
 

 

Mature palm/tree
Termites
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Trunk • Wilting of seedlings

• Roots eaten away by termites.

Cultural Method:

• Locate termite mounds in or near the coconut nursery or garden and destroy.

• Adoption of field sanitation by disposal of organic matter in nursery soil and covering germinating nuts with a layer of river sand.

Chemical Method:

• Spray Copper Sulphate 1% or Cashew Nut Shell oil 80% or spray Chlorpyriphos @ 3ml/lit of water, Neem Oil 5% or NSKE 20%.


• Apply calcium at the base of the trunk for control of termite attack.


• Swabbing with neem oil 5% once on the base and upto 2 m height of the trunk.

Affected shoot and panicle
Black headed caterpillar: Opisina arenosella
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Dried up patches on leaflets of the lower leaves, only three or four youngest leaves at the center remain green.

• Galleries of silk and frass on underside of leaflets.

• Whole plantations present a scorched appearance in case of severe infestation.

Cultural Method:

• Remove and burn all affected leaves/leaflets.

Biological method:

• Release bethylid larval parasitoids, Goniozus nephantidis at 1:8 of host-parasitoid ratio.

• Release the parasitoid @3000/ha under the coconut trees when the pest is in the 2nd or 3rd instar larval stage. Use parasitoid release trap to release the parasitoid at the site of feeding.

• Don't release the Parasitoids in the crown region since they will be killed by predators like spiders and reduvid bugs.

Chemical Method:

• Spray malathion 50 EC 0.05% (1mi/lit) to cover the undersurface of the leaves thoroughly in case of severe epidemic outbreak of the pest in young palms.


Root feeding :


• Secure the bag tightly to the root with a cotton thread.


• After twenty four hours, check whether there is absorption or not. Select another root when there is no absobtion. This method should not be resorted to as a routine practice and it is suggested only for cases of severe epidemic outbreak of the pest and when the survival of the tree is threatened.



Stem injection:
Affected shoot and panicle



White grub: Leucopholis coneophora
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Leaves turn yellow.

• Premature nut shedding.

• Flowering delayed.

• White grubs are exposed when base of the tree dug.

Cultural method:

  • Plough the field repeatedly for 4 to 5 times at once in a week after first rains in summer to reduce the pest population by exposing them to birds and other animals.
  • Plant neem twigs with leaves in coconut gardens after rain to attract and kill adult beetles.
  • Plough or dig the infested soil synchronizing with pre-monsoon showers.
Physical Method:
  • Collect and destroy the adult beetles attracted to trees like neem, Ailanthus and Acasia on the receipt of monsoon showers (in the evening).

Mechanical Method:
  • Set up light trap @ 1 / ha or bonfire.

Chemical Method:
  • Soil application: Malathion 5 D or 25 kg/ ha at the time of planting (Treat the soil with phorate 10G @ 100 g/palm or drench with chlorpyrifos 0.04% suspension. Give this treatment twice, first during April-May after the receipt of pre-monsoon showers and second during the month of September.

  
Slug caterpillar: Parasa lepida and Contheyla rotunda
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • Young larvae feed on the lower epidermis of the leaf.

• As they mature, the whole leaf blade is eaten leaving the midribs.

• In heavy infestation, the larvae may defoliate the palm.

Mechanical Method:

  • Set up light traps to trap and collect adult moths.
Chemical Method:
  • Collect and destroy the immature stages of the insects by conducting study (or neem campaign) wherever possible and spray carbaryl 50 WP 2 gm/lit.

  • Apply 0.1% carbaryl or endosulfan suspension on the newly opened inflorescence after the receptive phase of the female flowers and spray the entire crown excluding the leaves and older bunches (at 45 days interval). Destruction of pollinating insects can be avoided if spraying is done in afternoon hours.

  • Spray dichlorvos 76 WSC 2 ml / lit.
 
 
Mealy bug: Pseudococcus longispinus
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves

• It feeds on plant sap.

• Leaves are yellowing and dried up. As a result, the leaves become highly stunted, suppressed, deformed and present a crinkled appearance.

• It colonize on all tender plant parts like bases of spear leaf, spadix and inflorescence and beneath the perianth of the nut.

• It infests the unopened heartleaf and inflorescence.

• It is often confused with the leaf rot symptoms. The affected inflorescences are malformed and do not open. Even if they open, they do not bear nuts.


• Button mealy bugs colonize under the perianth lobes of tender nuts. Infested nuts harbouring gravid mealy bugs remain on the spadix, which serve as inoculum for further spread.

 Cultural Method:

  • Remove leaflets harbouring these insects and destroy them.

Chemical Method:

Spray any one of the following

  • Malathion 50 EC @ 2 ml/lt
  • Dimethoate 30 EC @1 ml/lt
  • Methyl demeton 25 EC @1 ml/lt
  • Phosphamidon 40 SL @1.25 ml/lt
 
 
Scale Insect: Aspidiotus destructor
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • It occurs more in summer, it affects leaves and nuts of coconut palms.

• At severe infestation, scale forms a continuous crust over flower spikes, young nuts and lower surface of leaves.

• Yellow spots on leaves.

• Entire leaves turn yellow to brown and falls.

• Infested coconut fronds exhibit yellow areas on the upper surface, formed by numerous yellow spots each marking the position of the coconut scale on the under surface. Development of sooty mould.

• Affected coconut palm turns bright yellow colour which is clearly visible from distance.

• In extreme cases, the leaves dry out, entire fronds drop off and the crown dies.

• Heavy infestation results in stunting of new leaves, reduction of crop yield or complete crop failure.
Biological Method:

  • Release of predatory Coccinellids, Chilocorus nigritius is found to be effective.
Chemical Method:
  • Spray Fish Oil Rosin Soap (FORS) 2.5% or spray Fenthion / Malathion. A second round is given after 20 days.
  • Do not harvest nuts for 45 days after spraying.


Scales on leaf and tender coconut
 
Rhinoceros Beetle: Oryctes rhinoceros
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
leaves • The adult beetle bores into the unopened fronds and spathes. Damage by the pest leads to 10 to 15% loss in yield.

• The attacked frond shows characteristic triangular cuts when fully opened.

• Central spindle appears cut or toppled.

• Fully opened fronds showing characteristic diamond shaped cuttings.

• Holes with chewed fibre sticking out at the base of central spindle.
Cultural Method:

  • Remove and burn dead coconut trees in the garden (which are likely to serve as breeding ground).
  • Collect and destroy the various bio-stages of the beetle from the manure pits (breeding ground of the pest) whenever manure is lifted from the pits.
Mechanical Method:
  • During peak period of population build up, the adult beetle may be extracted from palm crown using GI hooks.
  • Set up light traps following the first rains in summer and monsoon period to attract and kill the adult beetles.

Chemical Method:
  • After extraction of the adult beetle from the palm, the holes should be filled with a mixture of 3g Mancozeb + 1 kg find sand.
  • The topmost three leaf axils around the spindle may be filled with any of the following mixtures as a prophylactic measure:
    1. Sevidol 8G 25 g + fine sand 200 g, which is to be done thrice in a year in April-May, September-October and December-January.
    2. For seedlings, apply Naphthalene balls 10.5 g (approx. three to four balls) covered with fine sand, once in 45 days.
  • Place phorate 10 G 5 g in perforated sachets in two inner most leaf axils for 2 times at 6 months intervals.
  • Treat manure pits and other possible breeding sites with 0.01% carbaryl (50 % WP) on w/w basis. Treatment will have to be repeated in every three months.
Trap Method:
  • Set up Rhino lure pheromone trap @ 5 traps/ha to trap and kill the beetles. The dispenser may be hanged in a plastic bucket having 2 liter of insecticide solution (1.5 ml Endosulfan 35EC + 2 liter of water) once in a week. Trapped beetles can be disposed off.
Biological Method:
  • Application of green muscardine fungus, Metarrhizium anisopliae @ 5 x 1011 spores / m3 - spray 250ml Metarrizhium culture + 750ml water in manure pits to check the perpetuation of the pest.
  • Field release of Baculovirus oryctes inoculated adult rhinoceros beetle @ 15 beetles/ha reduces the leaf and crown damage caused by this beetle.
  • Soak castor cake at 1 kg in 5 liter of water in small mud pots and keep them in the coconut gardens to attract and kill the adults.
  • Apply mixture of either neem seed powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm or neem seed kernel powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm in the base of the 3 inner most leaves in the crown.
 
 
Red palm weevil: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Trunk • Make holes on trunk and hole can be seen on the stem with chewed up fibres protruding out.

• Oozing of reddish brown liquid from the hole.

• The grubs cause damage inside the stem or crown by feeding on soft tissues and bore into the soft, growing parts.

• Inside portion of trunk is completely eaten and become full of rotting fibres in case of severe infestation.

• In case of young palms the top withers while in older palms the top portion of trunk bends and ultimately breaks at the bend (wilting).

• Sometimes the gnawing sound produced by the feeding grubs inside will also be audible.

• In the advanced stage of infestation yellowing of the inner whorl of leaves occur. The crowns falls down or dry up later when palm is dead.
Cultural Method:

  • Remove and burn all wilting or damaged palms to prevent further perpetuation of the pest.

  • Avoid the cutting of green leaves. If needed, they should be cut about 120 cm away from the stem in order to prevent inward movement of grubs through cut end.

Trap Method:

  • Coconut log traps:
    Setting up of attractant traps (mud pots) containing sugarcane molasses 2½ kg or toddy 2½ litres (or pineapple or sugarcane activated with yeast or molasses) + acetic acid 5 ml + yeast 5 g + longitudinally split tender coconut stem/logs of green petiole of leaves of 30 numbers in one acre to trap adult red palm weevils in large numbers. Incorporate any of the insecticide to each trap to kill the weevils trapped.

  • Install pheromone trap @ one trap per ha
    Step 1: Specialized buckets with 3 of 4 holes are made, the bucket is wound with coconut fibre/ jute sack, so that the pests can enter.
    Step 2: The lure (Ferrolure +) is suspended inside the bucket and one lit of water is added along with 100g pineapple/ sugarcane, 2g yeast and 2g Carbaryl in the bucket.
    Step 3: The bait buckets are placed at sites in the farm, where infestation is seen most.
    Step 4: After a week the water is checked for the catch & re filled to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

Chemical Method:
  • Observe for the bore- holes and seal them except the top most one in attacked palms. Through the top most hole, pour 1% carbaryl (20gm/lt) or 0.2% trichlorphon or 0.1% endosulfan suspension @ one litre per palm, using a funnel, then plug this hole. Repeat this after one week if needed.
  • When the pest infestation is through the crown, clean the crown and slowly pour the insecticidal suspension. 1. Stem injection
  • In case of entry of weevil through the trunk, plug the hole in trunk cement / tar.
  • Make a slanting hole in trunk with the aid of an auger and pour the insecticide solution with funnel.
  • Fill the crown and the axils of top most three leaves with a mixture of fine sand and neem seed powder or neem seed kernel powder (2:1) or lindane 1.3 D (1:1 by volume) once in three months to prevent the attack of rhinoceros beetle damage in which the red palm weevil lays eggs.
  • Secure the bag tightly to the root with a cotton thread.
  • After twenty four hours check for whether there is absorption or not, select another root if there is no absorbtion.
  • These methods should not be resorted to as a routine practice and it is suggested only for cases of severe epidemic outbreak of the pest and when the survival of the tree is threatened.

 
 
Eriophyid mite: Aceria guerreronis
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Nuts • The earliest symptom is pale yellow triangular patches seen below the perianth on 2-3 month old buttons and patches become brown.

• As the buttons grow, brown patches lead to black necrotic lesions with longitudinal fissures on the husk.

• Severely affected buttons fall from the tree.

• Oozing of the gummy exudation from surface of affected nuts.

•Uneven growth results in distortion and stunting of nuts leading to reduction in copra yield.

• Nuts are malformed with cracks and hardened husk in severe cases.


 Cultural Method:

  • Collect and destroy all the fallen buttons of the affected palm.

  • Grow intercrop (sun hemp, four crops/year) and shelter belt with casuarina all round the coconut garden to check further entry

  • Provide adequate irrigation.

  • Apply urea 1.3 kg, super phosphate 2.0kg and muriate of potash * 3.5 kg/palm/year
    (*Increased quantity is recommended to increase the plant resistance to the mite).

  • Soil application of micro nutrients like, Borax 50 g + gypsum 1.0kg + Manganese sulphate 0.5 kg/palm/ year TNAU Micronutrient solution 200 ml/tree

Chemical Method:

Root Feeding:


  • After root feeding, next harvest should be done 45 days later.

  • TNAU - Agro biocide - 30 ml/tree - (60 days after Carbosulfan root feeding).

  • Note: Pluck nuts before root feeding Spot application of ecofriendly Botanicals:

  • Round 1: Azadirachtin 1% (5 ml in one lit. of water)

  • Round 2: Neem oil + Teepol (30 ml in one lit. of water)

  • Neem cake application @ 5 kg per palm per year

  • Application of neem oil + garlic emulsion (2%):
    To prepare 10 litres of 2% neem oil + garlic emulsion, 200 ml neem oil, 200 g garlic and 50 g ordinary bar soap are required.
    Slice the bar soap and dissolve in 500 ml lukewarm water.
    Grind 200 g of garlic and take the extract in 300 ml of water.
    Pour the 500 ml soap solution in 200 ml neem oil slowly and stir vigorously to get a good emulsion.
    Mix the garlic extract in the neem oil + soap emulsion.
    Dilute this 1 litre stock solution by adding 9 litres of water to get 10 litres of 2 % neem oil + garlic emulsion.

Method of Application:
  • The botanicals should be applied in the sequence indicated above at 45 days interval using a one litre hand sprayer. Rocker or Pedal sprayer can be used for spraying small trees.

  • The spray should be applied at the crown region by a climber covering only the top six bunches during non rainy season.
    Precautions and safety measures

  • Spraying should be avoided during windy season to prevent contamination.

  • At the time of spraying, protective mask and clothing should be used.

  • Wash face and hands cleanly with soap after spraying.
 
 
Rat: Rattus rattus wroughtoni
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

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leaves, tree and nuts • Damages tender nuts by forming characteristic holes.

• Shed nuts can be seen at the base of the palm.

 Mechanical Method:

  • Tree banding with inverted iron cones (Entry of rats on to the trunk can be prevented by fixing mechanical barriers upto 2m height from ground level using 40cm sized G.I. sheets) or Prosophis thorns.
  • Use rat traps
Chemical Method:
  • Baiting with bromodialone 0.005% at 10 g/tree at crown region twice at an interval of 12 days.
  • Fumigate the hiding places using Aluminium phosphide tablets.
  • Poison baits prepared by mixing 95 parts raw rice, three parts coconut oil and two parts zinc phosphide are placed in active burrows.


Rat eating cocnut flower; fallen affected nut
 
Palm Civet: Vivera zibatha
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

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Nuts • Falling of damaged nut with holes
  • Poison baiting with ripe banana fruit sandwiched with 0.5 g carbofuran 3 G granules.
 
 
Nematodes: Burrowing nematode: Radopholus similis
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

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leaves

• Damage the roots of coconut.

• The nematode survives in roots of felled trees up to six months.

• Elongated orange colour lesions are seen on tender and semi hard roots.

• Lesions enlarge and coalesce to cause extensive rotting of roots in consequent to nematode parasitization and multiplication.

• Tender roots become spongy in texture on heavy infestation.


• Affected palms exhibit general decline, yellowing, button shedding, and reduction in leaf size.

 Biological Method:

  • Application of cowdung, farmyard manure, oil cakes and green manure to the basins.
  • Grow green manure crop Crotolaria juncea in the basin and interspaces.
  • Incorporate leaves and tender stem of Crotolaria juncea, Pueraria javanica and Glyricidia maculate into the soil in Sep-Oct.
Chemical Method:
  • Application of phorate 10G @ 100 g/palm/twice a year, during May-June and Sep- Oct.

Cultural Method:
  • Use of less susceptible, tolerant cultivars or hybrids of coconut and grow intercrops in infested areas.
  • Avoid use of banana as a shade crops in coconut nurseries
 
 


Bud rot/heart rot: Phytophthora palmivora
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

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Leaves, petioles, twigs, branches and fruits. • Spear becomes pale and breaks at the base and hangs down.

• Rotting slowly progresses downwards, finally affecting the meristem and killing the palms. This is accompanied by drooping of successive leaves.

• Even then, nuts that are retained on the palm may grow to maturity.

• The disease is fatal if not checked at the early stages, before damage of the bud.
  

 
Leaf Rot:
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

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Panicles, leaves and stem

• This disease is a fungal complex initiated predominantly by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Exserohilum rostratum and Fusarium spp.


• Water soaked brown lesions in the spear leaves of root-wilt affected palms.

• Spots enlarge and coalesce result into extensive rotting.

• As the leaf unfurls, the rotten portions of the lamina dry and get blown off in wind, giving a 'fan' shape to the leaves.


• Spear fails to unfurl when disease is acute.

Physical Method:
  • Remove the rotten portions from the spear and the two adjacent leaves.

Chemical Method:

  • Pour fungicide solution of Hexaconazol (Contaf 5E) - 2ml or Mancozeb (Dithane M45/Indifil M45) - 3g in 300ml water per palm to the base of spindle leaf. 2-3 rounds of spraying for mild infection.

  • Treat the top two leaf axils with insecticide preparation. This can be prepared by mixing phorate 10 G / sevidol / carbaryl 20 g with 200 g sand or powered neem cake 250g mix with equal quantity of sand around the base of the spindle.

  • Spray crowns and leaves with 1% Bordeaux mixture or 0.5% copper oxychloride formulations or 0.4% mancozeb in January, April-May and September. While spraying, care has to be taken to spray the spindle leaf.
 
 
Leaf Blight or Grey Leaf Spot: Pestalosia palmivora
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

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Panicles, leaves and stem • Minute yellow spots encircled by grayish bands appear on the surface of mature leaves of the outer whorl.

• Later they become grayish white. These spots coalesce into irregular necrotic patches.

• Complete drying and shriveling of the leaf blade at severe infection.

Physical Method:

  • Removal of the older 2-3 disease affected leaves and burn.
Chemical Method:
  • Spraying the foliage with 0.25% Copper oxychloride will check the spread of the disease.

  • Spray the trees with 1% Bordeaux mixture or propiconazole 0.3%.


 
 
Root wilt
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

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Panicles, leaves and stem • Flowering is delayed and also yield is considerably reduced.

• Tapering of terminal portion of the trunk.

• Reduction of leaf size.

• Abnormal bending or Ribbing of leaf lets termed as flaccidity.

• The characteristic symptom is the droopiness of leaflets.

• Yellowing of leaf tips to the middle of the leaves, necrosis of leaflets,

• Deterioration and decay of root system

• The leaflets curve inwardly to produce ribbing so that the whole frond develops a cup like appearance.

• Abnormal shedding of buttons and immature nuts are also noticed.

.
Cultural Method:

  • Cut and remove diseased, uneconomical palms yielding less than 10 nuts per palm per year
  • Grow green manure crops - cowpea, sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea), Mimosa invisa, Calapagonium mucanoides, Pueraria phaseoloides etc. in coconut basins during April-May and incorporated during September-October.
  • Irrigate coconut palms with at least 250 litre water in a week.
  • Adopt suitable inter/mixed cropping in coconut gardens.
  • Provide adequate drainage facilities.
  • Apply fertilizers at the rate of 0.34 kg N, 0.17 kg P2O5 and 0.68 kg K2O / palm / year in the form of urea, rock phosphate and muriate of potash, respectively. For palms under good management, fertilizers may be given @ of 0.5 kg N, 0.32 kg P2O5 and 1.2 kg K2O / palm / year.
  • Apply Magnesium @ 500 g MgO per palm per year in the sandy soil and 100 g MgO in the remaining areas. The cheapest source of MgO is magnesite (MgCO3). The magnesium in magnesite is acid soluble. Hence it may be preferred in acid soils.
  • Under rainfed conditions, apply fertilizers in two splits, 1/3rd at the time of early southwest monsoon and 2/3rd before the northeast monsoon. Under irrigated conditions apply fertilizers in three equal splits (April-May, August-September and December-January).
  • Apply fertilizers in 10 cm deep circular basins at a radius of 2 m from the bole of the palm.
    When the crop is grown under the bund and channel system, desilt the channel and strengthen the bunds during summer months.
Biological Method:
  • In addition to the above, apply 50 kg cattle manure or green manure and 1 kg of lime / palm / year.
  • Growing green manure crops like sunn hemp, sesbania, cowpea and calapagonium in the coconut basin and their incorporation in situ is beneficial as the practice reduces the intensity of the root (wilt) and increases the nut yield. The ideal green manure crops for the sandy and alluvial soils are cowpea and sesbania, respectively.
 
 
Stem bleeding: Thielaviopsis paradoxa
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

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Panicles, leaves and stem • Exudation of a dark reddish brown liquid from the longitudinal cracks in the bark and wounds on the stem trickling down for a distance of several inches to several feet.

• Lesions spread upwards as the disease progresses.

• Liquid oozing dries up and turns black.

• Tissues below the lesions become rotten and turn yellow first and later black.

• In advanced cases, the interior of affected trunks are hollow due to decay of interior tissues.

• As a result of extensive damage in the stem tissue, the outer whorl of the leaves turn yellow, dry and shed prematurely.

• Production of bunches is affected adversely. The trunk gradually tapers at the apex and crown size becomes reduced in chronic cases.

• Nut fall is also noticed.		 Cultural Method:

  • Destroy the chiseled materials by burning.
  • Avoid any mechanical injury to trunk.
  • Apply 5kg neem cake containing the antagonistic fungi, Trichoderma culture to the basin during September along with 50kg organic manure.
  • Provide adequate irrigation during summer and drainage during rainy season along with recommended fertilizer.
  • Apply neem cake at the rate of 5kg / palm in the basin along with other organics.
Chemical Method:
  • Remove/Chisel out the affected tissues and paint the wound with tridemorph 5% or Bordeaux paste.
  • Burn off chiseled pieces.
  • Apply coal tar after 1-2 days on the treated portion.
  • Root feed with tridemorph 5% (5% Calixin) 5ml in 100 ml water, thrice a year during April-May, September-October and January-February to prevent further spread of lesions.
  • Apply tridemorph @ 25 ml in 25 litre of water as soil drenching once in four months.


 
 
Tanjavur wilt/Ganoderma wilt: Ganoderma lucidem and Ganoderma applanatum
Parts affected Symptoms
 Management

Image
Panicles, leaves and stem •Withering, yellowing and drooping of the outer whorl of leaves.

• This is followed by exudation of reddish brown liquid through cracks at the base of the trunk and oozing spread upward. Tissues on bleeding spots are soft to touch.

• Decaying of tissues at bleeding point and rotting of basal portion of the stem

• Bark turns brittle and often gets peeled off in flakes, leaving open cracks and crevices. The internal tissues are discoloured and disintegrated, emitting a bad smell.

• Bracket formation at the base of the trunk.

• Ganoderma appears at the base of the trunk. Ultimately the palm dies.
 Cultural Method:

  • Remove and destroy all affected palms.
  • Green manure crops must be raised and ploughed in-situ at the time of flowering.
Biological Method:
  • Apply Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf1) @ 200g/palm + Trichoderma viride @ 200g/palm/year.
  • Apply 200g Phosphobacter and 200 g Azotobactor mixed with 50kg of FYM/palm.
  • Apply FYM 50kg + neem cake 5 Kg once in 6 months along with fertilizers.

Chemical Method:
  • Make trench around the tree, 4 feet away from the base of the trunk. Apply Sulphur dust inside the trench.
  • The bleeding patches in the stem may be chiseled and protected with tridemorph (5% calxin) and subsequently with hot coal tar.
  • Aureofungin-sol 2 g +1 g Copper Sulphate in 100ml water or 2 ml of Tridemorph in 100 ml water applied as root feeding. (The active absorbing root of pencil thickness must be selected and a slanting and a slanting cut is made. The solution to be taken in a polythene bag or bottle and the cut end of the root should be dipped in the solution).
  • Trunk injection / root feeding with Calixin 3 ml/tree.
  • Forty litres of 1% Bordeaux mixture should be applied as soil drench around the trunk in a radius of 1.5m

 
 

 

 

 

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