Coconut disease destroying palms since 1970s

Business

THE Bogia coconut syndrome (BCS) has destroyed thousands of palms since it was first detected in Bogia in the late 1970s, a workshop was told last week.
The workshop held in Madang last Wednesday and Thursday focused on the BCS and the related phytoplasma syndromes in PNG.
It brought together scientists from Australia and PNG and stakeholders of the industry to discuss the plant disease that had caused severe losses to coconut palms in the Bogia, Sumkar and Madang districts of Madang.
It has spread to Karkar Island in Sumkar.
The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has been funding a project over the past five years with a multi-national team to undertake more in-depth studies to understand the BCS and phytoplasmas in PNG.
Partners include Ramu Agri-Industries (New Britain Palm Oil Ltd), Oil Palm Research Association (OPRA), National Agriculture Quarantine Inspection Authority (Naqia), National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI), University of Southern Queensland, Charles Stewart University and Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK).
An ACIAR report presented at the meeting said plant tissues of BCS symptomatic palms were found to contain the BCS phytoplasma.
“Coconut lethal yellowing-like diseases have been responsible for repeatedly devastating coconut industries around the world since the early 1900s,” the report said.