Crop loss due to Root (wilt) and Leaf Rot Diseases and Oryctes Infestation of Coconut in the disease affected areas in Kerala, South India
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1985-01
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Root (wilt) and leaf rot are the major diseases seriously affecting the yield of coconut in Central and Southern Kerala. Of the pests Oryctes rhinoceros L. is the most important, attacking the tender leaves and spathes. The root (wilt) disease affected areas on the west coast of India consist of seven districts of Kerala state viz. Ernakulam, Idikki, Kottayam Alleppey and Quilon districts in full and part of Trichur and Trivandrum districts where a survey was conducted asing a multistage sampling procedure during 1971-76 to estimate the total production and the less in coconut yield due to incidence of root (wilt) and leaf rot and Oryctes infestations. Among the 7 districts surveyed the total annual production of nuts was maximum in Alleppey district (406 million nuts). Ernakulam, Kottayam and Quilon districts produced annually 357 million, 337 million and 331 million nuts respectively. The average yield per palm was found to be very low in the severely disease affected districts (Alleppey 31 nuts, Kottayam 32 nuts and Idikki 35 nuts). The average yield of a healthy palm free from disease and Oryctes infestation was also high in Trichur (61 nuts) and Ernakulam (60 nuts) districts. The loss in yield was estimated to be about 75%- for trees in the advanced stages of the disease and 25 to 50% in the early stages. The loss due to Orycles infestation was .found to vary from 1 to 6 nuts per palm in different districts... The loss of nuts due to disease and pest was maximum in Kottayam district (125 million nuts annually) followed by Alleppey district (113 million nuts). In Quilon and Ernakulam districts, loss due to disease and pest was 73 million and 58 million nuts respectively. In Trivandrum and Trichur districts the total loss was only 14 million nuts and 8 million nuts respectively. The overall loss of production due to the diseases and Oryctes was estimated at 419 million nuts which would amount to 20% of annual production in the disease affected tract.
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Reprint, Indian Coconut Journal , January 1985, Vol. XV, No. 9