Palm Tree Doctor Lethal Yellowing Page
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is lethal yellowing?
A: Lethal yellowing (LY) is a deadly disease which affects palms. It has been seen in dozens of species of palms, but it is most common in coconut and christmas palms.
Q: What kind of disease is lethal yellowing? Bacterial? Viral?
A: Lethal yellowing is a phytoplasma. The causal organism is thought to behave like a primitive virus.
Q: How is lethal yellowing spread?
A: Lethal yellowing is transmitted by the leafhopper bug Myndus crudus. The leafhopper feeds on an infected palm and ingests the phytoplasm. Once it has fed on an infected palm, the leafhopper can infect other palms that it feeds on.
Q: Can my palms contract lethal yellowing by coming in contact with an infected palm or by trimming an infected palm and then a healthy one?
A: No. The organism can only be spread by the insect. The insect's body metabolizes the organism and makes it transferable. Scientists have taken active lethal yellowing phytoplasm and injected it into healthy palms and the disease never appeared.
Q: I've heard that some palms are resistant to LY. What does this mean?
A: Growers have tried cross breeding different coconut palms to try to come up with a species that does not get the lethal yellowing disease. The favorite used to be the "Maypan," which is a cross between a Malayan and a Panama tall. It was thought that the Maypan was somewhat resistant to LY, but this has been shown not to be true. Currently, there is no palm that offers any reliable resistance to the disease.
Q: How do I know if my palm has lethal yellowing?
A: Symptoms are visible on the palms.
The earliest symptom is a browning, then later a blackening in the inflorescence. The inflorescence is the name for the cluster of flowers that eventually grow into coconuts. Once the inflorescence starts discoloring, the palm is almost surely affected with lethal yellowing.
Later there is heavy coconut fall and a premature browning or yellowing of the fronds. The coconuts will fall off in greater numbers than usual and they may have a water soaked appearance. The fronds will turn brown or yellow from the oldest growth first and then eventually the newest fronds in the center will turn completely brown.
Q: Is there any treatment for LY?
A: Yes. We currently offer an antibiotic inoculation program for the treatment of lethal yellowing. We use the Classic Molders method. This involves drilling a hole into the trunk and inserting a hollow case with a silicone seal on one end. The oxytetracycline antibiotic is then injected into the casing using a hypodermic needle. This method has been shown to be far superior to the old method which uses a plastic cup placed onto the trunk of the palm.
Q: When should treatment be started?
A: As soon as the palm shows a darkening of the inflorescence. One of our representatives can look at the palm and see if the palm is too far along to treat. The antibiotic can also be used as a preventative on healthy palms that are showing no symptoms.
Q: How long does the program need to be continued?
A: The injections need to be continued throughout the life of the palm. If the injections are stopped, the symptoms will re-appear.
Contact Information
Palm Tree Doctor
P.O.Box 1237
Pompano Beach, FL 33061-1237
Phone: (954) 946-3600
Toll Free: 1(866) 946-3600
Email: doug@palmtreedr.com
©Palm Tree Doctor 1997-2009
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