Table 2. General routine actions taken after detecting some of the most important phytosanitary problem found in oil palm plantations in Costa Rica

Problem Agent/cause Action taken
Eradication Pesticide treatment Trapping Others References
Diseases
Red ring Bursaphelenchus cocophilus yes Herbicide to eradicate the affected palm, insecticide in traps for the vector Yes IPM, phytosanitary law enforcement 3,4,5,6,8, 11, 22
Basal wet rot Erwinia sp.? yes No No Improving soil aeration 7, 27
Charcoal basal rot Ustulina deusta yes To protect cuts of felled palm No Improvement of agronomic practices 4, 9, 27, 28
Basal steam rot Ganoderma sp. yes To protect cuts of felled palm No Improvement of agronomic practices 4, 27
Antracnose (nursery0 Collectrotrichium gloesporioides No Selected fungicides No Balanced fertilization, wider spacing, water management 23, 27
Pests
America palm weevil Rhynchophorus palmarum Rarely Yes (in traps) Yes IPM, phytosanitary law enforcement 6, 8, 11, 15, 21, 22
  Opsiphanes cassina No Yes (when neccesary) Yes IPM 7, 13, 16, 17, 24
Bag worn Oiketicus kirbyi No Yes (when neccesary) Yes IPM 17, 18, 25, 26
Physiological disorders
Dry spear rot Specific causes unknowna No With surgery Yesb Balanced nutrition, proper water management, good soil aeration 10, 14
Crown disease/ Common spear rot Specific causes unknowna No Ocasionally: with surgery Yesb Balanced nutrition, proper water management, good soil aeration 1, 2, 10, 19, 20

 

a. Associated with adverse growing conditions: decline-type condition
b. Trapping of palm weevils prevents the attack to the affected plant
c. 1: Alvarado et al., 1977; 2: Blair, 1970; 3: Bulgarelli et al., 1998; 4: Chinchilla and Richardson, 1988; 5: Chinchilla, 1991; 6: Chinchilla and Oehlschlager, 1992; 7: Chinchilla, 1993; 8: Chinchilla et al., 1995; 9: Chinchilla and Durán, 1998; 10: Chinchilla and Durán, 1999; 11: de Franqueville and Renard, 1990; 12: Kovachich, 1957; 13: Loría et al., 2000; 14: McKenzie, 1977; 15: Mexzón et al., 1994; 16: Mexzón and Chinchilla, 1996; 17: Mexzón and Chinchilla, 1999; 18: Mexzón et al., 2003; 19: Monge et al., 1993; 20: Monge et al., 1994; 21: Oehlschlager et al., 1993; 22: Ohlschlager et al., 2002; 23: Renard and Quillec, 1979; 24: Rhainds et al., 1993; 25: Rhainds et al., 1994; 26: Rhainds et al., 1996; 27: Turner, 1981; 28: Umaña and Chinchilla, 1991.