Abstract
A heavy incidence of stem bleeding in coconut palms was reportedduring 1995 in Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. Palm to palm survey andlaboratory investigations were conducted to determine the incidence,distribution, and cause of the epidemic. The survey revealed that 10% of thepalms in the district was affected. The stem-bleeding incidence was higher inpalms closer to water bodies and irrigation channels in the area. Theinvestigations were unable' to establish the cause of stem bleeding. Thedistribution pattern of affected palms suggests that irrigation water may causestem bleeding and predispose palms to the infection by Ganoderma sp. Thefungus Ganoderma, which causes bole and root rot disease of coconut wasconsistently isolated from the palms with fruiting bodies, and authenticity ofthe pathogen was proved by the International Mycological Institute, UK.Further studies are necessary to determine the role of water bodies inpredisposing the palms to the disease.
Highlights
Hambantota District which is an important coconut producing area, accounts for nearly 5 % of total 440,000 ha under coconut in Sri Lanka
The area was free from serious disease epidemics in the past, an epidemic of stem bleeding was reported to be spreading during 1995
The lists of affected lands were obtained from the Coconut Development Officers (CDO) of the district
Summary
Hambantota District which is an important coconut producing area, accounts for nearly 5 % of total 440,000 ha under coconut in Sri Lanka. The initial and most conspicuous symptom of the affected palms is oozing out of a reddish brown viscous liquid from the base of the palms, sometimes extending up to 5 - 6 m on the trunk. Yellowing and diminishing of the crown, tapering of the trunk, production of fewer and elongated nuts occur followed by the formation of bracket like fruiting bodies of the fungus at the base of the palms. Preliminary observations revealed that some of the affected palms show all these symptoms but majority had only stem bleeding. A detailed study was undertaken to investigate the incidence and distribution pattern of stem bleeding in Hambantota District with emphasis on categorizing affected palms on the basis of the symptoms expressed by them. Investigations were carried out to determine the causative agent of each category of palms
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