Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds

Coconut foliar decay (231)

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Photo 1. Intense yellowing of mid-section fronds. One of them is hanging down because of a broken petiole, whereas the youngest and oldest fronds are still green.

Photo 2. Foliar decay on Malayan dwarf seeding.

Photo 3. Susceptible Malayan dwarf showing symptoms of coconut foliar decay.

Summary

  • Narrow distribution. In Vanuatu only. On coconut. An important disease only on introduced varieties.
  • Leaves in the mid-section of crown turn yellow, break and hang down; the rest remain green. As younger leaves age they too turn yellow, trunks taper and the palm dies. Some varieties recover, e.g., Rennell Tall.
  • Spread by a planthopper that lives on wild Hibiscus.
  • Biosecurity: follow international guidelines for the transfer of coconuts.
  • Cultural control: resistant varieties: Vanuatu tall and Vanuatu dwarf varieties and hybrids between them are resistant.
  • Chemical control: none recommended.

Common Name

New Hebrides coconut disease. It has also been known as foliar decay Mindus taffini. The name 'Mindus taffini' belongs to the planthopper insect that transmits the disease.

Scientific Name

Coconut foliar decay nanavirus. The abbreviation is CFDV.

Photo 4. Malayan Dwarf variety with coconut foliar decay showing severe yellowing of the fronds.

Photo 5. Life stages of the insect that transmits Coconut foliar decay virus, Mindus taffini.

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Frison EA, et al. (eds.). 1993. FAO/IBPGR Technical Guidelines for the Safe Movement of Coconut Germplasm. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome/International Board for Plant Genetic Resources, Rome. (https://www.bioversityinternational.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Coconut_361.pdf); and from CABI (2019) Coconut foliar decay virus (new Hebrides coconut disease). Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/16742). Photo 2 John Randles, Waite Agricultural Research Institute, Glen Osmond, South Australia.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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