Coconut Industry Board working to eradicate lethal yellowing disease

Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

EVEN AS it faces resistance from some farmers, the Coconut Industry Board (CIB) is pressing ahead with its replanting programme in an effort to stay ahead of the lethal yellowing disease which has re-emerged as the major threat to the local industry.

With research showing an increase in the number of infected trees in the eastern section of the island, with Portland the most-affected parish, the CIB is standing firm in its efforts to control the lethal disease, according to General Manager Yvonne Burns.

"Some farmers don't really want you to cut their trees because they see the trees still looking healthy. However, because we know the signs to look for, we insist that they cut the trees," she told The Gleaner.

Where farmers are reluctant to take the necessary action, the CIB steps in and acts decisively, according to Burns: "If they don't cut it, we go in and cut it. We have a team that goes around, right throughout Jamaica that cuts all the lethal yellowing infected trees. If we can't cut it, depending on where it is, we poison the tree, because we don't want it to spread any further."

Many farmers are hesitant to cut down a mature, fruit-bearing coconut tree despite it being affected by lethal yellowing disease, but Burns insists this is the best long-term strategy.

Lethal yellowing is caused by a phytoplasma but scientists are yet to determine exactly how it is spread, which makes it difficult to control and, hence, the decision to cut down infected plants and replace them with healthy seedlings.

Symptoms include premature shedding of all fruits, blackening and death of all newly emerged and unopened inflorescences, yellowing of older and then younger leaves, root necrosis, collapse of the newly emerged leaf and soft rot with the crown that invariably leads to death of the palm.

The Malayan Dwarf, which seemed highly resistant then, was the variety of choice when the disease hit Jamaica hard in the 1970s and 1980s. Then there is the Maypan, a hybrid developed by the research department of the CIB by cross-pollination of the Malayan Dwarf and a variety known locally as the Panama Tall.

"We thought the Maypan was resistant but (like the Malayan Dwarf) they are all going down by the lethal yellowing," Burns disclosed, adding that she was cautiously optimistic about a new strain being developed.

"I think the pathologists have developed a dwarf which might be resistant. We can't even talk about it until we are sure. We are still testing, testing in the Portland where the disease is rampant … we don't know if a new strain will come on and kill it, but so far they are doing well."

According to Burns, St Thomas and Portland are now the worst affected areas with St Mary fairly safe and while are one or two cases, there the western end of the island is safe for now.

Despite the ravages of lethal yellowing, the coconut trade is thriving in Jamaica, especially the jelly market, which understandingly is impacting the availability of dry coconut. Increased public awareness about the health benefits of coconut water has translated into increase demand for the coconut jelly. The flip of that is that nuts are not being allowed to dry and farmers risk losing the crop to praedial larceny, hence most opt to sell at this stage.

Promoting replanting

The Coconut Board is actively promoting the planting of more coconuts in order to offset the likely shortfall that could develop as a result of the growing demand for jelly coconut. In fact, the general manager admitted that there is a shortage of dry nuts.

Said Burns: "The board itself is trying to find other areas to plant but it's long-term crop. It takes six years to grow so that's where the problem lies because of the jelly trade and also because of praedial larceny. They are reaping faster for one thing because of the economy, they want their cash return quickly and if they leave it on the tree for another six months, somebody will reap it for them, so that's another problem."

To this end, the CIB is trying to entice people to get into coconut farming with a very attractive incentive package. An officer from the board will assess the land to determine its suitability for coconut cultivation, after which the farmer is encouraged to become a registered member.

"Once you register, you get all the benefits - free seedlings, 80 per cent of fertiliser free, weed grant and all our technical advice free," Burns explained. However, the board extends a further helping hand by buying coconut jelly from farmers for resale in its own shop at 18 Waterloo Road, St Andrew. There, coconut drops, gizzada and other snacks which promote "goodness in a shell" are sold.

- christopher.serju@gleanerjm.com