Battling Coconut Heart Rot

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Is live symbol of Hawai'i in danger of extinction? Deadly fungus ravages 15% of coconut trees on Kaua'i already August 4, 2002 By TGI Staff Writer It is the symbol of paradise, Hawai'i-style, an internationally recognized, relaxing vision for both visitors and residents, the stuff an entire coast of Kaua'i and one of the state's most beloved hotels are named for. Swaying cocunut palm trees are a trademark of the Hawaiian islands. They line the white sand beaches, shade golf courses, and help beautify resorts and condominiums. They can be used as a valuable food source, and for building materials. Across various portions of the island Now, the coconut palm tree is under attack by a silent, stealth killer. The culprit, which according to one tree expert has claimed around 15% of the island's coconut trees already, is a relative of an old foe that at one time threatened to wipe out a promising papaya industry on the North Shore and other parts of the island. The disease as it infects coconut trees is coconut heart rot disease, caused by the fungus phytophthora katsurae the was first detected in Kaua'i in the 1970s. It enters the palm from the crown, and then slowly works its way into the heart of the palm, browning leaves and causing them to fall of, and only the skinny, pole like trunk remains. Because the fungus is airborn and needs moisture to survive, Hawai'i strong, wind blown rains provide the perfect climate for it to spread. It is also spread by insects, rodents, pruning, and planting infected trees. Once the fungus enters the tree there is no cure, but that does not mean there is no hope. Although the desease has already killed about 15 percent of Kaua'i coconut trees, a Maui resident has developped a way to succesfully protect healthy trees. By using a backpack injection system of a natural fertilizer, Philippe Visintainer said he has seen about 90 percent success rate over the past two and a half years. "I drill a small hole into the trunk of the tree about chest high." said Visintainer, founder, owner and operator of Hawaii Coconut Protectors. "(I) inject the product into the trunk of the tree, then I plug the hole with a green plug to seal the product and to mark the tree," he said. "It takes about two to four weeks for the product to travel to the heart of the tree, where it boosts the immune system of the tree, creating an environment that prevents the fungus from growing." He said the injection system seems to be the only successful way to protect the palms, as many have tried spraying products on the leaves and roots, but with no positive results. The injection can't save infected trees, he noted. Once the disease has spread into the heart of the palm, there is only about a 15 percent recovery rate. Visintainer, a Maui resident for 15 years, got involved with saving coconut palms about five years ago when he was managing a 40-acre tropical plantation along the road to Hana. He said he noticed palms roting and dying at an alarming rate. "University of Hawaii started doing research on this problem back in the 1980s, but when Hurricane Iniki hit (in 1992), everything was destroyed, and they never got any results," he said. "After that, no one really seemed to be doing anuthing, and the problem slowly got worse." Visintainer said he began to work with researchers at University of Hawaii, and they flew specialists in from around the world to help. A bill was approved by the state Legislature to provide funding for continued research. Visintainer was able to test different products based onprevious research and other species of the same fungus. "I looked at what other people had done, and adapted it to coconut trees," he said. "And the injection not only protects the tree from heart rot, it makes the tree grow faster. It's really a win-win situation." He said the heavy rains this winter caused the fungus to spread quickly and easily, and as a result there has been a large outbreak. It usually takes four to eight months for palms to show thier first symptoms, but it can take as long as a year. "It is really hard to detect symptoms, because maybe only one or two trees out of a grove of 20 start to rot. Unless you are looking really closely, they just blend right in," he said. "Also, most people don't notice it untill the leaves are yellow-brown and falling off. By that time, the deseasee has already entered the heart," he bemoaned. "Because there is not a cure, the most important thing is preventinon." Visintainer, a member of the Maui County Farm Bureau and that island's association of landscape professionals, said he wants to see the problem taken care of now while it is still on a manageable level, not 20 years down the line when trees are completely wiped out. "A lot of people say this isn't really a concern, and take it for granted that the trees will just be aroud for ever," he said. But they will not if don't control it in this stage. There is a similar fungus seriously threatening oak trees in California, and we don't want it to get to the same point here as it is there." Visintainer hand injects coconuts on Kuai'i, Maui and the Big Island and is starting on O'ahu. He charges $20 per tree, $15 per tree if there are 50 or more trees to be injected. Visintainer can be reach toll-free at 1-800-417-7435, or on the web at coconutprotectors.com.

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