Crops > Plantation crops > Coconut & oil palm > ?Nutritional problem (Mg or K), coconuts, St Lucia



Crops > Plantation crops > Coconut & oil palm > ?Nutritional problem (Mg or K), coconuts, St Lucia

Crops Plantation crops Coconut & oil palm ?Nutritional problem (Mg or K), coconuts, St Lucia

?Nutritional problem (Mg or K), coconuts, St Lucia

April 2012. More images of coconuts with suspected nutritional deficiency from St Lucia. On this occasion the 6-8 year-old palm in question is in the north of St Lucia growing in a backyard. The area is relatively dry during December to May annually. There are neighbouring palms showing the same symptoms. The leaflets on these palms show chlorotic spots which coalesce and turn necrotic.

Note that a previous post, summarised at www.pestnet.org/SummariesofMessages/Crops/Plantationcrops/Coconutoilpalm/NutritionalproblemStLucia also showed a nutritional problem on cocnuts in St Lucia. On that occasion Mg or K were the two elements suspected as the cause from the symptoms described.

On this occasion too, a deficiency of the same elements, Mg and K, was suggested. For a deficiency of Mg, it was suggested that a NPKMg fertilizer (12-12-17-1.2) should be applied.

To distinguish between Mg and K, a member suggested looking at <lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/GardenPubsAZ/PalmNutritionFertilizers.pdf> where the very different symptoms are described in some detail.

Consideration might also be given to “Bronze Leaf Wilt”. This as has been reported from the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad and Venezuela) and elsewhere (Nigeria). In Nigeria, it is synonymous with Awka Wilt and considered to be a phytoplasma, but in Jamaica it was different from Lethal Yellowing and presumed to be a physiological condition. If you can access any of the publications listed below you might find some similarities.

1955 – Coconut Time Line

Bull, R.A. (1955) Bronze leaf wiltof coconut palms in Nigeria. Journal of West African Institute of Oil Palm Research 2, 69-72. [or 1(3) 70-72]?
cocos.arecaceae.com/1955.html

1937 – Coconut Time Line Nov 11, 2011 Bain, F.M. (1937) Bronze leaf wiltdisease of the coconut palm. Dept. of Agric. Trinidad T.A. Trin.16, 110.
cocos.arecaceae.com/1937.html
1945 – Coconut Time Line Apr 3, 2011 Bronze leaf wiltand other diseases affecting the bud of coconuts. 2. Diseases affecting the leaves, crown and stem of coconuts. Trop. Agric. cocos.arecaceae.com/1945.html
1959 – Coconut Time Line Apr 9, 2011 Corbett, M.K. (1959) Diseases of the coconut palm. I Lethal yellowing Principes 3, 5-13, II Bronze leaf wilt3, 49, III Red ring 3, 83, IV Bud rot 3, cocos.arecaceae.com/1959.html
1994 Jun 5, 2011Benin with emphasis on possible vectors of Bronze Leaf Wilt(“Awka Ganodermawiltdisease of coconut. pp 889-920 In: K.L.Chadha and cocos.arecaceae.com/1994.html
1946 – Coconut Time Line Nov 8, 2011 Bain, F.M. (1946) Bronze leaf wilt, its cause and cure, Oleagineux 1 (3), 178.
cocos.arecaceae.com/1946.html
1978 Agwu, S.I. & Okaye, H.C. (1978) The distribution of bronze leaf wiltdisease of coconuts in Anambra and Imo states of Nigeria. J. NIFOR 5, 79-85. Alcantara, J.A. cocos.arecaceae.com/1978.html
1990 Aug 29, 2011 Ekpo, E.N., and Ojomo, E.E. (1990) The spread of lethal coconut diseases in West Africa: Incidence of Awka Disease (or Bronze Leaf Wilt) in cocos.arecaceae.com/1990.html
1951 – Coconut Time Line Ciferri, R. ( 1951) Bronze leafof coconut palm in the Dominican Rep. and cocos.arecaceae.com/1951.html

1969 – Coconut Time Line Nov 26, 2011 Ohler, J.G. 1969. Bronze leaf, a new coconut disease in the Caribbean area. ( 1969)
cocos.arecaceae.com/1969.html

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