Battling Coconut Heart Rot
on Maui

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Channel # 44 most of Maui, # 52 West side, # 13 Molokai and Lanai.

Friday September 8 at: 12.45 pm
Saturday September 9 at : 3.20 pm
Tuesday September 19 at : 1.20 pm
Wednesday September 20 at 5.50 pm
Monday September 25 at 6.45 pm
Monday October 2 at: 9.45 pm
Thursday October 12 at 5.15 pm

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Maui Time

September 12, 2000
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Rotten at the Core

Hawai‘i's Coconut trees are dying from an epidemic disease

by Olivia Techoueyres

Hawai`i's tropical image is often portrayed by its beautiful white sand beaches and magnificent swaying coconut trees. These trees are also a symbol of the visitor industry and are used widely for landscaping parks, roadways, business districts, hotels, golf courses, scenic vistas, and residences. Besides their beauty, "the tree of life" provided a valuable source of food and building materials for the Hawaiians and other islanders. Unfortunately, the future of coconut trees in the islands is bleak, because of a devastating disease that is killing them at an alarming rate.

This disease, known as "coconut heart rot", is caused by the fungus Phytophthora katsurae. The pathogen was first identified in the 1970 by the University of Hawai`i (UH) on Kaua`i. The disease started on the windward side of the Islands with the loss of few trees. Nobody got alarmed because it seemed to spread slowly and was attributed to the wetness of the location. However in the last few years, coconut palms have died in great numbers on the windward side despite the unusual droughts.

On Maui, approximately 20 percent of the coconut trees have died. Scattered outbreaks are now beginning to occur in the drier areas of central, south and west Maui. The disease has also become an epidemic in Kaua`i, O`ahu and the Big Island. The dead palm shown on the cover, a victim of the disease, is located at the North Kihei Road entrance to Kihei. Infected trees have also been found in Kahului, Wailuku, Kihei, Wailea, Makena, Lahaina, Ka`anapali, Napili, Kapalua. Experts are realizing that the disease is now on the leeward side of the Islands, and the daily irrigation combined with the strong heat of the day will help the fungus thrive.
Although no one really knows how this fungus got to Hawai`i, most scientists believe that it is spread by strong windblown rains, through insects, birds, and mice, or by pruning and planting infected trees. The infection is carried by a given agent (rain, insects, etc.) to the top of a nearby healthy tree where the fungus then moves down into the heart of the palm, producing a rot that slowly destroys the growing shoot and kills the plant.

The first visible symptom of coconut heart rot is the death of the young center leaf, which turns brown and falls over. As the rot advances, other remaining fronds slowly droop and die. Eventually, the top of the tree falls off... leaving what looks like an abandoned pole. Another possible symptom is the appearance of a stem end rot on young developing nuts, which causes them to fall prematurely. The dreadful thing about this disease is that once external symptoms are displayed, the heart of the palm is already rotten and the tree can no longer be saved. Furthermore, if the infected tree is not immediately removed and properly disposed, the fungus can easily spread to neighboring palms.

As precaution, experts recommend the following: never prune healthy trees if you suspect your tools (pruners, knives, etc.), equipment (chain saws, ladders or lifts, truck beds, etc.), or any other materials (hands, gloves, shoes, clothing, etc.) may have been contaminated with the fungus. Thoroughly wash, clean, or disinfect these items with a 20% solution of Clorox, or 70% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol to avoid spreading the disease. Once a dead tree has been cut down, it should be immediately buried, burned (fire permit may be required), or taken to the landfill. When hauling a diseased tree, it must be properly wrapped or covered to prevent any infected tissues or insects from spreading along the roadway, thereby causing new outbreaks in other locations.


Makena	Final stage

Because coconut trees are very slow growing (about one foot per year), it is estimated that a highly prized 20 foot tree is about 20 years old. At $50 per foot of trunk, plus transportation, equipment (e.g., backhoe, crane), and labor charges, the cost to remove and replace a dead tree with another of similar stature could be as much as $3,000 or more. In some situations, accessibility may be a problem and replacing it may be impractical. For some businesses, it may create a huge disturbance to its customers and guests. Furthermore, trees of this size are in short supply or may be unavailable from many nurseries.

Preliminary research conducted on Kaua`i by the university showed that disease protection was being achieved by injection into the trunk of coconut trees. Unfortunately, this experiment was destroyed by Hurricane Iniki before the final results could be taken.

In an effort to save Hawai`i's coconut trees, the Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation, Department of Agriculture, University of Hawai`i, Maui Association of Landscape Professionals, Hawai`i Organic Farmers Association, several Hotel Associations, and the County of Maui are supporting a funding request to the State Legislature to enable UH to finalize its research on this disease.

In the meantime, an education and injection program has been put together by Hawai`i Coconut Protectors to help protect the palms from contracting the disease. Seminars, Presentations to both the Landscaping and Tourism Industry have been held. Many private owners, hotels and resorts, golf courses, restaurants, condos have already protected their trees. The collaboration and support of residents is needed to stop the further spread of the disease. Because of the large population of coconut palms, as well as the fact that they do not show any outside noticeable symptoms until they are dead and usually cut down, the disease has been allowed to spread and remain unnoticed to the untrained eye. The reality is that we are starting to see landscaping like that of the picture on top, taken on the windward side of Maui. If we wait any longer, we will not be able to save our island heritage...

Information about the coconut heart rot may be obtained by visiting www.coconutprotectors.com or calling (808) 573-1850.


Hana Bay	Makena

Maui Island Weekly, May 11-17, 2000

Deadly disease striking coconut palms

Thousands of coconut trees threatened as island braces to fend off plague.

By Gene Thompson

If any one thing symbolizes the magic of the Hawaiian Islands, it is the coconut palm. Our visitor advertising is saturated with photos and drawings of these graceful trees. Besides their beauty, "the tree of life" provided a valuable source of food and building materials for Hawaiians and other islanders.

And despite their delicate appearance, coconut palms are among the strongest of trees, holding up in storms that wreak destruction all around them. Yet even the coconut palm is no match for the dread coconut heart rot disease that has come to Hawaii and Maui.

The disease started in the 1980's on the windward sides of the islands where its growth was aided by the heavier rainfall there. In the 1990's the disease began to appear in the arid areas of Maui. The dead palm in the photo below, a victim of the disease, is located at the North Kihei Road entrance to Kihei. Infected trees have been found in Maui Meadows, Wailea and West Maui.

The disease enters the crown of the tree causing its bud to decay. The tree fronds on infected trees gradually die and fall, posing a safety hazard beneath them. Once the process starts the infected tree is effectively dead and should be removed, said Philippe Visintainer.

According to Visintainer of Hawaii Coconut Protectors, the disease is now epidemic in Hawaii. He said the University of Hawaii estimates it has killed 20 to 25% of the coconut palms on Maui's north shore. The disease spreads in aerosol droplets, by insects, driving rain, infected tree stock and contaminated tools.

His company, Hawaii Coconut Protectors, and the University of Hawaii suggest a four-step approach for dealing with coconut heart rot disease. The first is education - recognizing diseased trees. To prevent its further spread, all pruning tools should be thoroughly disinfected with alcohol or chlorine bleach. Healthy trees can be given some protection by injection. Finally, all infected trees and their rubbish should be removed and burned or buried.

Terry Nutt of the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals suggested that we can increase the disease resistance of the trees by keeping them as healthy as possible. Of course, that advice applies to all plants.

Information about the coconut heart rot disease may be obtained by calling Philippe Visintainer at 573-1850.


Airport 1	Airport 2

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
COUNTY OF MAUI

Mr. Philippe Visintainer
Director, Maui County Farm Bureau

Dear Mr. Visintainer:

SUBJECT: HEART ROT OF COCONUT

I wish to express my support of the request by the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals to appropriate $10,000 to continue the research and treatment of the Heart Rot of Coconut.

On Maui, about 20-25% of the coconut palms on the north shore have died because of this disease. On newly infected trees, the rot occurs internally with no visible external symptoms, which makes diagnosis and eradication extremely difficult.

Based on previous work by the University of Hawaii, it has been shown that injecting a systemic fungicide into the trunk of healthy trees will protect them from this infection. Without funds to treat this disease, many of our coconut trees will die. Because of the potential harm of this disease, Maui County strongly supports the appropriation of $10,000 to effectively treat and eradicate the Heart Rot disease.

Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to provide our comments on this important matter. Should you require additional information, please let me know. I would also appreciate being informed of the progress of this appropriation request.

Very truly yours,

JAMES "KIMO" APANA
Mayor, County of Maui


Baldwin Beach 1	Baldwin Beach 2

MAUI HOTEL ASSOCIATION
Philippe Visintainer
Maui County Farm Bureau
P.O. Box 1314
Paia, HI 96779

RE: Heart Rot of Coconut

The Maui Hotel Association supports the research efforts for controlling this above-mentioned disease of the Coconut Palm. Obviously, part of who we are in Hawaii is about the swaying Coconut trees and we must do what we can to protect our trees. The visitors expect to see palm trees and we would most certainly lose an important part of our vistas without swaying palms. We will support the bill going before the legislature to encumber $10,000 for continued research in Heart Rot Disease.

Sincerely,
Teryl Vencl
Executive Director
Maui Hotel Association


Banyan Tree, Lahaina	Ala Moana Park

Maui Hotel Association Newsletter 03/2000

A serious fungal disease caused by phytophora katsurae is spreading over the Hawaiian islands. Coconut bud rot, which was mostly occurring on the windward sides, is now an epidemic affecting the leeward side as well. Diagnosis and disease eradication are extremely difficult. On newly infected trees, a rot occurs internally, with no visible external symptoms. Once external symptoms are displayed, the infected tree is already dead, and the disease may have spread to other nearby plants.

Unfortunately, the control work on coconut bud rot was never quite completed, so nothing was published on the procedures for protecting the trees with injectable fungicides.

Besides the nature of the host and disease, among the problems associated with this project were the reluctance to support the work, damage to the field experiments caused by Hurricane Iniki, and insufficient funding to continue. Research money to complete the work and find a cure for the disease is now being requested through a bill at Legislature 2000.

MHA is supporting this measure. In the meantime, an education and injection program has been put together by Hawai'i Coconut Protectors, to help protect the palms from contracting the disease.

The injection will help protect the palms for a period of 9 months to a year.

We recommend this procedure be done once a year, until a cure is found for the disease.

The cost of the injection is $20 per tree, $15 for 50 or more trees.

This disease is now spreading on the west and south side of the island.
You can see dead trees with the same symptoms in Lahaina: by the banyan tree, the tennis courts, in some proprietes along the ocean, in some of Ka'anapali, and Napili Hotels and Condos.

In Kihei, by the welcome to Kihei entrance sign, along the beach on north Kihei road, in some properties and beach parks, along the south Kihei road, in Maui Meadow, and in some Hotels, Resorts and condos.

Please feel free to call, write or email for any further information.

Hawaii Coconut Protectors L.L.C.
P.O. Box 791314
Paia, HI 96779
Phone: 808-573-1850
Toll Free: 1-800-417-7435
Fax: 808-572-5036

Hawaii Coconut Protectors

email:

coconut@mauigateway.com

Golf Course

Ka'anapali

Palm pilots

Philippe Visintainer is on a mission to protect Maui's coconut palms from a fungus that causes a deadly disease. "A win-win situation."

Maui Weekly, July 11-24, 2002
By Amy Huyett

Swaying coconut 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. But these important trees have been in danger of being wiped out by a deadly fungus, and Philippe Visintainer, founder of Hawaii Coconut Protectors, is doing his best to save them.

The disease, known as Coconut Heart Rot disease, is caused by the fungus Phytophthora katsurae that was first detected in the 1970s on Kauai. 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 off. Eventually the top falls off and only the skinny pole-like trunk remains. Because the fungus is airborne and needs moisture to survive, Hawaii has the perfect climate for it to spread by strong windblown rains. It can also spread by insects, rodents, pruning and planting infected trees.

There is no cure for this disease which has already killed about 15 percent of Hawaii coconut trees over the years, but Visintainer has found a way to protect this symbol of the tropics. By using a backpack injection system of a natural fertilizer, Visintainer said he has seen about a 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. Inject the product into the trunk 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 he 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 results. But the injection can't save infected trees. 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, said he got involved with saving the coconut palms about 5 years ago when he was managing a 40-acre tropical plantation along the road to Hana. He said he noticed palms rotting and dying at an alarming rate.

"University of Hawaii started doing research on this problem back in the 1980's, but when Hurricane Iniki hit, everything was destroyed and they never got any results," he said. "After that, no one really seemed to be doing anything and the problem slowly got worse."

Visintainer said he began to work with researchers at University of Hawaii and they flew specialists in from all around the world to help. A bill was approved by the legislature so that he would have the funds to continue. He was then able to test different products based on previous 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, but 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 easily and as a result there has been a large outbreak. It usually takes 4 to 8 months for palms to show their first symptoms, but it can take as long as up to 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 until the leaves are yellow-brown and falling off. By that time the disease has already rotted the heart. So while there is not a cure, the most important thing is prevention."

Visintainer, who is an active member of various organizations such as the Maui Landscape Association of Professionals and on the board directors of the Maui County Farm Bureau, 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 the 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 around forever," he said. "But they will not if we don't control it in this stage. There is a similar fungus seriously threatening oak trees in California and we can let that be a lesson because we don't want it to get to the same point here as it is there."

Visintainer hand injects coconuts on Kauai, Maui, the Big Island, and is starting on Oahu. He charges $20 per tree, $15 per tree if there are 50 or more trees to be injected.

Visintainer can be reach at 1 800 417 7435 or on the Web at coconutprotectors.com

Experts Battling to Save Coconut PalmsHawaii

TREE CARE INDUSTRY, August 2003

By George Furukawa

Imagine arriving in Hawaii and realizing that a majority of coconut palms on the i slands have become extinct. That would be akin to discovering that flowers associated with Hawaii - hibiscus and orchids - have disappeared from the landscape of this remote tropical paradise.

An insidious, devastating "cancer" is decimating coconut palms in Hawaii at an alarming rate - 15 percent have been destroyed by a deadly pathogen known as Phytophthora katsurae, which causes coconut heart rot.

What are the symptoms of Phytophthora^

Abnormal loss of small to nearly mature nuts has been a common early symptom of the disease. Infected fruits have dark, mottled spots and rots. Irregular expansion of brown infected areas frequently creates circular green patches or islands of green tissue surrounded by diseased areas. Water soaking is also common on large immature fruits and appears as dark green, oily tissue bordering diseased areas.

Young diseased fruits less than 3 inches long are generally brown without mottling. Internally, the infected husk of older fruits is reddish to red-brown. The infected meat, or endosperm, is white, cream colored, or slightly brown. The pathogen may penetrate mature nuts by growing through the germination pore at the stem end of the nut.

The first symptoms of young or mature palms are wilting, discoloration and death of the youngest leaves. Unfurled spear leaves may also die early in the course of the disease. Dead fronds are bent abnormally, but remain attached to the trunk for a few weeks, drooping onto or between the older green leaves.

In the ensuing months, more leaves die and fall, leaving a few lower fronds. Roots and lower trunk tissue remain healthy and functional for many months and continue to supply the lower leaves with nutrients and moisture.

Huelo Point on Maui has suffered some of the most devastating losses. Photos courtesy Hawaii Coconut Protectors.

Eventually all of the fronds drop, producing leafless trunks. Less frequently, older leaves die first, resulting in palms with

only a few young, upright fronds. Because young leaves are vertically oriented, infected plants appear rigid. By the time leaf death is observed, internal rot is already at an advanced stage. These diseased palms have large rotted areas that involve most of the terminal bud.

Killing of the single growing tip ultimately causes the death of the palm. Diseased nuts and heart rots, followed by plant death, have been associated with a Phytophthora species. The pathogen of coconut produces abundant and distinctive sexual spores in host tissue. Each spore is produced in a mother cell that has distinctive blister-like swellings and a long base.

How to combat the pathogen

Once palms are infected, death from the disease appears to be inevitable, and several hundred have been lost throughout Hawaii since 1970. Because the host range of Phytophthora appears to be confined to coconut, eradication and exclusion are feasible control options. All infected palms and nuts should be destroyed by incineration or deep burial.

Prompt removal of diseased palms will reduce the probability of soil contamination with the pathogen. The sexual spores of most Phytophthora species are able to survive in soil without the host plant. Removal of diseased material will also prevent spread of the pathogen to healthy ones.

Many diseased palms have been observed in wet windward areas of Kauai, the Big Island and Oahu and Maui. Growers should avoid collecting coconut-planting material from these areas. Since mature palms may be infected, yet remain without symptoms for many months, careful selection of clean nuts and healthy seedlings and plant stock is necessary.

Stock plants or young seedlings should be grown in relatively dry areas to minimize establishment of the pathogen on new plants. Because the epidemiology of the disease in Hawaii is not known, the exact means by which the pathogen spreads is not specifically known.

Based on studies of other Phytophthora diseases however, wind-driven rain, insect feeding and movement or activities of other small animals are probably important factors in the spread of the disease. Moisture strongly favors the growth, spore production, spread of the pathogen, and disease development by Phytophthora.

Sexual spores of the pathogen occur in large numbers within diseased husks and trunks. These thick-walled resistant structures allow the pathogen to survive for long periods in a dormant state. The pathogen is seed-borne, as sexual spores are common in the husk of the diseased fruits.

The removal of nut clusters and heavy leaf pruning of large palms have probably aided disease spread. Microscopic spores from diseased tissue will contaminate cutting tools and infect healthy ones during subsequent pruning operations. Furthermore, wounding the stem base by cutting off green fronds exposes highly susceptible plant tissue to pathogen infections.

When feasible, trimming should be done during dry weather. Tools should be cleaned, then immersed in a disinfectant after trimming operations on each are completed, especially at sites known to have the disease.

Fungicides such as Subdue 2E (metalaxyl), Dithane M-45 (mancozeb), Aliette (fosethyl-Al), and Truban (ethazole) are known to be effective protectants against other Phytophthora diseases, but they are ineffective for curing palms with advanced rots of the heart or terminal bud.

Limited control of the disease in the early stages may be attained by removing diseased fruits on palms that don't have young dead leaves, then protecting the wound surface with a pruning sealant, thus preventing disease progression into the trunk. A good plan is to plant coconut palms more often. The life span of a coconut palm may be only 15 to 25 years with this disease in Hawaii, thus younger ones should be planted periodically.

From genesis to epidemic proportions

Coconut palms had been relatively disease free in Hawaii, prior to the discovery of Phytophthora katsurae in 1971 by Dr. Minoru Aragaki from a specimen collected at Wailua, Kauai, according to the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) in Honolulu. Infected plants died within one year. Aragaki and Dr. Janice Uchida worked on the disease over the years.

During the 1980s, Phytophthora was found on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. Inter-island movement of nuts, seedlings, and large palms, as well as trimming operations, probably contributed to the disease escalating to epidemic proportions.

Fearful that a centuries-old icon in Hawaii could become extinct in the not too distant future, experts here have launched a concerted effort to combat coconut heart rot. Philippe Visintainer, owner/operator of Hawaii Coconut Protectors on Maui, is leading the battle against Phytophthora with unabashed zeal.

"The University of Hawaii started research on Kauai in the late '80s," Visintainer reports. "Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai in 1992 and destroyed the research plot. Nothing was done to control the disease in the environment until I took over the project in the late '90s. I was managing a tropical plantation on Maui. I planted lots of coconut palms on properties and noticed that some were dying. I was concerned about it, so I talked to the University of Hawaii, the Department of Agriculture and other pathogen specialists." Visintainer invited experts from around the world to Maui to assist in establishing research plots. They experimented with different formulas to combat the pathogen.

Visintainer has been on the board of directors of the Maui Farm Bureau for about six years. As part of the board of directors, he advocated a bill in the Hawaii State Leg-islature in 2000, to extend research on coconut heart rot. The bill was passed and $10,000 was appropriated for the project. Visintainer realized that research on Phytophthora would be stymied if he didn't wage an all-out war against the pathogen.

Making a commitment

"I stopped working at the plantation and started a company called Hawaii Coconut Protectors," Visintainer says. "We've been airing a video on public television on all the islands, outlining the spread of coco nut heart rot and what we are doing to combat it. Our approach is to educate the public about the pathogen. We meet with people in the tree and landscape industry in conjunction with the University of Hawaii. We conduct research. We offered an injection program statewide that protects coconut palms from the pathogen. Other than that, we're promoting eradication. In the next few years, we want to implement an eradication program through a federal government grant. We haven't applied for a grant yet, because it's not a good time to be asking for money."

The injection formula has been successful, according to Visintainer. He has been working with hotels, resorts, condos and private owners in Hawaii. Visintainer is also trying to get Maui County to take action against the pathogen. His company developed a formula based on phosphoric acid.

Visintainer refers to it as the nutrient augmentation approach. The injection promotes the general health of a coconut palm and fertilizes it. At the same time, it creates an environment in the heart of the palm that repels the pathogen.

"We inject at about chest high, and the formula is systemic, so the palm will carry the formula to the top of the leaves and back down into the heart of the palm in about two to four weeks, depending on the plant," Visintainer explains. "We've achieved a 95 percent success rate with healthy palms. We're not certain how the pathogen spreads, whether it's by way of rodents, trimming, or insects. It appears that wind-driven rain is a major factor. We theorize that it moves around with the wind and rain, and gets into the crown, and works its way into the heart of the palm."

Visintainer usually saves five to 15 percent of infected palms. Usually, by the time people realize they have a problem and he examines the specimen, there's nothing Visintainer can do.

Visintainer speculates that the pathogen arrived in Hawaii when travelers brought plants and materials here. At this point, the pathogen is unique only to coconut palms in Hawaii. It started on the windward side of the islands, but has spread to the leeward side. Visintainer has identified infestations at golf courses. He reasoned that maintenance crews provide volumes of water to keep courses green, so coconut palms receive volumes of water too.

"Watering encourages the spread of the pathogen, because it thrives on moisture," Visintainer says. "In Hawaii, we have high levels of moisture and humidity.

Educating the public

People would care about the pathogen, if they were aware of it. We're talking about probably tens of thousands of plants. If you have a palm dying from the pathogen, it's only one out of perhaps a grove of 50, so it's often difficult to

The death of valuable, mature palms along fairways threatens to alter the island's reputation for fabulous golf.

recognize the pathogen and its potential to infect more. By the time the palm is sick and dead, trimmers may come along and cut it down. There are still 49 coconut palms, so it doesn't appear that there's a serious problem. However, you don't wait until 30 percent of the population is infected with AIDS to recognize the problem. By then, you've lost the battle."

With coconut palms, experts have an opportunity to manage the pathogen before it's beyond control, according to Visintainer. He has received support from many people. "We charge a fee for injections, which is $20, and if there are 50 or more, we charge $15 each," Visintainer says. "There is much more awareness today than there was five to 10 years ago. There's a good possibility that we'll win the battle."

A word from the research community

Dr. Jeri Ooka, a plant pathologist with the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Kauai, began working on the disease during the 1982 through 1985 epidemic and recognized the fruit rot phase of the disease.

Ooka demonstrated pathogenicity with isolates of the pathogen. During the mid-1980s, Drs. Aragaki, Uchida, Norman Nagata and others in Uchida's group confirmed pathogenicity of Phytophthora katsurae on fruits and young plants. These experiments were the first that identified the causal agent, as pure cultures of the pathogen were placed on healthy hosts, which became diseased.

Molokai has not been surveyed well, but it appears to be free of the disease on the leeward side of the island, according to Ooka. It's certain that bud rot caused by pathogen was here in 1971. It's probable that the disease was here in 1966. Moving plants around during the last 30 years has spread the pathogen faster than it would have spread naturally. The value of the palms has made the disease more noticeable. Each is worth more than $ 1,000 and the palms are extremely difficult to replace.

"From 1982 through 1992 several field trials were implemented to test various fungicides for control of the disease," Ooka explains. ''Early trials involved placing copper-based fungicides in the leaf whorl. Later trials were generally with different

It's getting harder to find shade on Baldwin Beach in Maui.

rates of the systemic fungicides metalaxyl and fosethyl-Al as sprays, drenches or injections. Potassium phosphite was the last compound to be added to trials. The last formal trial I conducted was in 1992. This trial was abruptly terminated by Hurricane Iniki. All trials were inconclusive with fosethyl-Al and potassium phosphite showing the best promise and metalaxyl the least."

The formula to inject coconut palms was derived from South African, American, European and Australian publications reporting use of metalaxyl, fosethyl-Al. injectable fosethyl-Al and potassium phosphite for control of diseases caused by Phytophthora, according to Ooka. The disease is known to arborists and landscapers familiar with coconut palms.

Trimmers almost always know of the disease, but not necessarily its details. Homeowners, condominium association boards of directors, hotel grounds keepers, and golf course greens keepers become aware of the disease as it affects their plants. Ooka notes that bud rot will never eliminate all coconuts in Hawaii.

Ooka explains that Hawaii is a dynamic biological system with many factors affecting the balance between pathogen and host, which results in the presence or absence of disease. There are biological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic reasons to preserve coconut palms.

Cocos nucifera is the only remaining species in its genus. It's a traditional economic plant for the low land tropics, which provides many of the raw materials for survival in oceanic or tropical subsistence systems. For industrial economies, coconut oil was at one time an important raw material for manufacturing products. It has gained cultural importance in societies that depend on it.

"It's an important ornamental, which identifies Hawaii and other such places as a tropical paradise to tourists," Ooka says. "The pathogen will never be completely eradicated. In that sense, we can't win a war against it. As the host changes, so do pathogens. Sometimes the environment is allied with the host, other times with the pathogen. Our objective is to keep disease severity and occurrence at an economically tolerable level."

Application of the principals of public health goes a long way toward doing this, according to Ooka. There are things people can do to prevent the pathogen from spreading, such as starting plants from clean seed, collected from healthy stock grown in a dry environment.

Ooka recommends germinating the seed in a good container mix, amended with disease suppressive compost. Once they're planted in the field, plants shouldn't be fertilized or watered excessively. Palms from wet, cool areas that have a higher likelihood of being infected shouldn't be used for transplanting.

"Don't plant in inappropriate sites," Ooka cautions, "such as in an environment suitable for disease and unsuitable for coconuts. This would include most sites more than 1,000 feet high, or with more than 100 inches of rain yearly, on the windward side of the island. If you plant in such areas, it will survive no more than 20 years. In endemic bud rot areas, palms will probably succumb to the disease in 10 to 15 years. In dry areas suitable for coconuts, nitrogen fertilizer and watering should be monitored to avoid creating too many tissues susceptible to the pathogen."

If Visintainer, other experts, and the community in Hawaii can successfully wage a war against Phytophthora - and win - then their commitment to protect coconut palms on the islands will be worthwhile. The arduous process of educating the public about the disease, as well as raising the level of awareness and concern, is a good start. Meanwhile, another dies with each passing day - leaving one less symbol of Hawaii for future generations.

George Furukawa is a freelance writer based in Hawaii. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, including U.S. News, Nursery Retailer. Horticulture, Grower Talks, Wildlife Conservation and Nature Conservancy. TCL

The Coconut Crusader

Native Intelligence

March 2007

Smack'. The machete slams down into the coconut, neatly shaving away husk from inner nut. Phillipe Yisintainer cracks open the nut and passes out chunks of the white coconut meat to a youns couple visiting his Huelo Lookout Fruit Stand, a brightly painted landmark on Maui's famous road to Hana. Along with the coconut. Phillipe doles out advice about the long drive ahead, while loading his customers up with fresh papaya, mango, rambutan and lychee.

Despite the menacing machete, Phillipe has earned a reputation as something of a tree-hugger—or at least as a one-man rescue operation, single-handedly defending against a deadly fungus that affects Hawai'i's coconut palms. When he discovered "coconut heart rot" on his farm five years ago. Department of Agriculture representatives told him they didn't have the resources necessary to fight the rampant infection. So Phillipe did it himself.

Building on research abandoned by the University of Hawai'i after Hurricane 'Iniki struck in 1992, he developed an inoculation program. He now travels island to island, injecting a phosporous solution into the hearts of palms. No cure exists for diseased trees, but those Phillipe treats prior to infection have a 98 percent survival rate —in fact, the inoculation appears to stimulate healthy growth.

An unlikely superhero, Visintainer moved to Maui twenty years ago. His accent still bears traces of his native France. "I like taking care of the trees," he says. "I don't want to be stuck in an office. Having a successful business is good, but I'm more into having a great life."

And life is great in Huelo, where travelers winding their way to Hana snack on tropical fruits, smoothies, homemade trail mix and fruit-filled crepes. Below the roadside stand a picnic table hangs over a lushly forested valley. Thanking Phillipe for the coconut, the young couple steals a kiss at the romantic overlook and heads back out onto the Hana Highway. — Shannon Wianecki