Table 4. Vegetative growth in the field of Deli x AVROS palms affected by Crown Disease/Common Spear Rot during different stages of their growth. Trial B.

Days after field planting (months) Group* Petiole length (cm) Rachis length (cm) Petiole cross section Leaflets No /m of rachis Leaf area (mē) Leaf emision rate (leaves /month)

194

A (78) 21.1 a 154.5 a 2.352 a 108.9 1.156 a
B (35) 22.8 b 141.8 b 2.204 ab 111.5 0.996 b
C (48) 21.9 b 151.0 ab 2.133 b 108.7 1.152 a

374

A (49) 45.9 a 174.1 3.30 a 113.6 a 1.527 1.291
B (64) 42.0 a 174.4 3.16 a 112.2 ab 1.546 1.225
C (48) 38.0 b 172.6 2.93 ab 111.1 b 1.523 1.216

553

A (49) 62.4 226.3 ab 4.664 51.2 c 1.245 3.433 a
B (64) 65.7 216.2 b 4.759 83.2 b 2.241 3.097 b
C (48) 66.1 230.3 a 4.514 97.4 a 2.558 3.126 b

752

A (33) 86.3 ab 282.3 5.866 ab 85.7 3.284 3.143 b
B (35) 87.5 a 285.3 6.539 a 85.9 3.288 3.358 a
C (48) 86.8 ab 276.8 5.847 abc 86.3 3.421 3.299 a
D (46) 86.3 b 282.1 5.866 ab 85.7 3.284 3.144 b

A = Plants with symptoms at the nursery and on the field

B = Symptoms at the nursery but healthy on the field

C = Allways healthy

D = Healthy at the nursery but symptoms on the field

Data correspond to leaves in positions 5 and 9 at 194 days after field planting. Leaf 17 was measured afterwards.

Number in parenthesis means the number of plants / category / date

Means were separated for each date and each variable by the "t" Student test. Means followed by the same letter at the same column are not different statisticaly.