Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds

Coconut basal trunk rot (484)

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Photo 1. Bole of coconut with cracks in the bark showing presence of Marasmiellus albofuscus growing from the trunk as well as from weeds.

Photo 2. Bole of coconut showing Marasmiellus albofuscus growing on the remains of a frond, and patches of rot in the cortex, presumably from previous invasions of fronds.

Summary

  • Narrow. Distribution of the associated fungus, (Marasmiellus albofuscus) is not well documented; it is recorded from: Asia (China, Indonesia), North (Hawaii, Florida) and South America (Argentina), the Caribbean (Cuba, Lesser Antilles), Oceania. The disease is reported from Solomon Islands.
  • Damage minor on coconut: (i) associated with a superficial, brown, basal trunk rot of mature coconuts, sometimes with white fungal growth and bark cracking; and (ii) non-germination of seednuts and death of embryo.
  • Spread: spores on the wind.
  • Biosecurity: low quarantine risk as likely the fungus has wide distribution (even though disease is unreported), ; however, whenever coconuts are transferred internationally, the FAO/IBPGR Technical Guidelines for the Safe Movement of Coconut Germplasm should be followed: (http://www.bioversityinternational.org/e-library/publications/detail/coconut/).
  • Cultural and Chemical control: none recommended. It appears that coconut basal trunk rot (and embryo rot) are not of economic importance.

Common Name

Coconut basal trunk rot

Scientific Name

Marasmiellus albofuscus; previously known as Marasmius albofuscus, and possibly Hemimycena longicystis.

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Kohler F, et al. (1997) Diseases of cultivated crops in Pacific Island countries. South Pacific Commission. Pirie Printers Pty Limited, Canberra, Australia; and from Jackson GVH & Firman ID (1982) Seedborne marasmioid fungi of coconuts. Plant Pathology 31: 187-188. Dr DN Pegler, Kew Botanic Gardens, UK, is thanked for identifying specimens of Marasmiellus albofuscus from coconuts of Solomon Islands.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project HORT/2016/185: Responding to emerging pest and disease threats to horticulture in the Pacific islands, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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