New pest threatens RP’s coconut exports

The country’s coconut exports are threatened by a new pest that is spreading in various parts of Luzon.

The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has banned the transport of coconut planting materials from Luzon to other regions to prevent the spread of a newly-discovered pest that attacks young coconut palms and, if unchecked, could adversely affect the country’s production and export of coconut products.

"We have informed all regional offices of the BPI not to move coconut seedlings from any point in Luzon so that we could contain the disease. We have further prohibited the transfer or transport of seedlings to the Visayas and Mindanao regions," said Merlie Palacpac, quarantine chief of BPI.

A new insect pest of coconut called coconut leaf beetle or Brontispa longissima was discovered in a few young palms in Candelaria Quezon; Bay, Laguna; and San Vicente, Lipa City. In April 2005, the pest was spotted in coconut trees along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. Initial surveys show that it is now ravaging palms in various parts of Metro Manila and in nearby towns of Cavite, Batangas, Laguna and Bulacan.

The flat and slender beetle is generally black in color except for the yellow-orange to red color of the neck and the basal portion of the wing. The adult beetle and its larva stay between unopened leaflets of young coconut spears. They feed on the soft tissues but spare the harder veins and midribs. Adult beetle has a life span of five to 90 days.

Although it is not capable of long flights, it is responsible for short distance spread of the insect. They cause decay and drying of affected parts which prevent the tree from bearing fruits. They also cause damage to young spears of seedlings and mature coconut trees as well as ornamentals palms. Eventually, the whole tree dies.

Palacpac said the pest is difficult to detect because they are inserted in between leaflets. That’s why planting materials including ornamentals intended for transport to uninfested areas should be inspected well. Chemical spraying is not effective against Brontispa longissima. Not only it is costly, it also poses hazard to non-target organisms and the environment.

Brontispa is endemic to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea and was probably introduced in the country in 2004 through the importation of ornamental palms.

"We need to contain the problem immediately because it could pose a serious threat to the country’s coconut exports especially if production is drastically reduced because of the spread of the disease," said Palacpac.