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New disease threatens arecanut plantations
The Director General of the Department of Export Agriculture -Upali Gunaratne- advised researchers of the department recommend that Government destroy five out of twelve acres of arecanut cultivation at the Puthukkudiyiruppu, Udayar Kattukulan Army camp.
Mr. Gunaratne made this observation at the 40th Anniversary Symposium of Minor Export Crops ( ASMEC), held at the Plant Genetic Research Centre, Gannoruwa. The Director General added, the country should learn lessons of the ” Weligama Wilt ” which occurred in coconut plantations. People were hesitant to destroy the trees and the end result was devastating.
He added, presently the country exports 3000 metric tonnes of arecanut, cultivated on 15,094 hectares
W.M.R.W.B.Wijekoon a researcher at the Department of Export Agriculture, presenting a paper co-authored together with Messrs. M.Dharmadasa, R.D. Kodithuwakku, A.N.Dayananda and D.S.Pillai titled “Newly Reported Disease of Arecanut” ( Areca Catechu ) said an alien fungal growth which was probably brought into the country via imported nuts was affecting arecanut plantations.
He added, until recently there had been no reports of diseases which caused serious economic damage to the arecanut industry. However, in 2009, a new disease with leaf blight symptoms was reported in Polonnaruwa district.
More recently (in mid 2012) another blight unknown to the country until recently -necrosis of leaves- including yellowing, drying and drooping was reported in the Northern Province. The disease often resulted in reduction of crop and sudden death of the palm.
The researcher added that a ban on the import of arecanut had been in force from 2011, but there had been moves recently to import arecanuts from Indonesia. He warned that if this occurred the price of arecanut would drop and farmers would refrain from cultivating the palm.
The researchers stressed that though it had not been established how the disease entered the country, they were of the opinion the fungus may have entered the country with the import of nuts.
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