About Lethal Yellowing
Lethal Yellowing is thriving in South Florida, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. In Eleuthera, the disease was first recorded in Harbour Island, possibly due to the number of imported material, typically from Florida. Growing practices in many commercial nursery operations in South Florida grow under homogeneous, mono-clone type conditions. Unfortunately this has led to the rapid spread of the disease within the region. Time from diagnosis and death of the tree can be anywhere from as little as 3 months, to as many as 18, in our experience. There is no cure, but we are able to treat infected trees, and attempt to stave off the disease.
The antibiotic injection of the 3 most common species of disease susceptible palms (Cocos - coconut palms, Dactylifera and Adonidia) is highly recommended. Although there is no guarantee, this program is very successful when implemented on a preventative basis and occasionally successful in achieving remission. The trees can harbor the disease, in an incubative state, for up to a year, before showing the first external signs of Lethal Yellowing, so numerous trees could be infected before the first tree is even diagnosed with the disease.
Symptoms of Lethal Yellowing in Coconut Palms
Premature dropping of coconuts in various stages of development. Darkening of the inflorescence (flower spear or fruit pod). The flowers on a healthy inflorescence should be a clear, yellowish to a light cream color. The flowers in Lethal Yellowing infected trees are dark brown to blackish.
The fronds start to turn yellow, beginning with the older ones and advancing towards the younger ones near the center of the crown. Sometimes a younger frond will turn yellow. This is called a "flag leaf" and is a significant sign of LY but not always present.
The final stage is the death of the very center frond, or bud, causing the youngest unfolded leaf or frond to collapse. Sometimes there may even be some green leaves left on the tree but the death of the bud is equivalent to the death of the tree. (In a non-treated tree, this entire process may take as little as 3 to 6 months.)
Prevention of the Disease
The control of lethal yellowing in disease susceptible palms has proven to be very successful, however in order to accomplish this, three things must occur.
1.) The proper chemical, oxytetracycline hydrochloride - (OTC), must be used. Tree Saver® is the only company that is licensed for the sale of the OTC Tree Injection Formula, in the State of Florida, for use in palms for the control of Lethal Yellowing.
2.) Injections must be made on a timely basis. Three or four times per year depending on the degree of current infection or future protection desired.
3.) The injections must be made in a consistant manner.
Lethal Yellowing, referred to as a phytoplasma like organism, is carried by a flying planthopper (myndus crudus), that feeds on palm sap. It is when the bug feeds that the disease is transmitted. There is no cure. However, we have a very effective preventative program using the Tree Saver®Injection System and a water based antibiotic, oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC). This combats the disease in two ways:
1.) The OTC makes the sap "taste very bad", so the bug finds feeding on treated trees undesirable.
2.) The presence of the OTC seems to greatly retard the phytoplasma’s ability to live and or "prosper". Being a water based antibiotic in a water based organism, the half life of it's presence in the tree is only 4 months, thus the need for a minimum of 3 injections per year. This is a long term, ongoing project and the best results are only attained when continuing once started.
Some text parts quoted from Tree Savers LLC. Photos property of D.Adam Boorman
Preventative Treatments for Palm Trees
About Lethal Yellowing
© Copyright 2007 D. Adam Boorman. All Rights Reserved.
Gregory Town, Eleuthera,
The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Keep Eleuthera Green
Gregory Town, Eleuthera,
The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Most Common Disease Susceptible Palms
Cocos nucifera - Coconut Palm - High occurence of infection in The Bahamas
Phoenix dactylifera - Date Palm - Tend to be problematic, and are not widely used in The Bahamas. When used, often affected.
Veitchia merillii - Christmas Palm, Adonidia Palm - Widely used throughout The Bahamas although there is a Low occurence of the disease on this type, when local stock is used.
Gregory Town, Eleuthera 242.335.5533
Contact us to avoid this happening to your trees before they show symptoms!
Beware where you purchase or take coconut trees from. You may be SPREADING the disease!
