The Correspondents featured this evening a documentary on the Philippine Coconut Leaf Beetle (Scientific Name : Brontispa longgissima) which is plaguing select parts of the country and is threatening the coconut production of the Philippines (about $700 Million exported yearly.) The Philippine Coconut Authority(PCA) is the lead agency of the Philippines which is battling to contain the infestation.
An infested coconut can be easily diagnosed to be infested by the presence of dry leaves in the center mass of the coconut tree which is where the beetles are massing (Young fronds/leaves appear damaged resulting from the feeding of Brontispa and Young fronds appear brownish while the outer older fronds might still be green - the opposite of the normal, in which the inner younger fronds are green while the outer older fronds are brown)
According to the report, the authorities are not sure how the invasive beetle got into the country as it is not endemic to the Philippines. I think one thing that should be asked, is whether the infestation is an adverse effect of global warming? Whether the increased world temperatures could be inducing them to reproduce exponentially to guarantee their survival.
The thee main measures being done by the agency to control the spread of the infestation are:
Biological control (natural, sustainable and ultimate solution) wherein one million (1M) of an endemic biological predator of the brontispa called “black earwig” is being produced by the PCA to attack the plague. The earwig has been tested by folks at the University of the Philippines Los Banos to be the natural predator to the Leaf Beetle. They are naturally found in Banana plants, hence some coconut plantations have taken to intercropping banana’s.
- Mechanical control (immediate and direct solution). Involves cutting of the young infested frond and burning it. The coconut takes only one month to grow a new and healthy frond.
- Chemical control (massive and immediate remedial measure). Involves the application of systemic chemicals through trunk injection. They drill a hole a few feet off the ground and diagonally going down to the roots. They then place the chemicals inside after which they plug the hole with a twig. This measure will have immediate impact against the beetle in just a few days. Healthy fronds will emerge from the coconut in the month following the chemical application. For young tree’s that aren’t that high yet, chemical control is done by spraying the leaves (not sure if Atarac was the name mentioned in the report of the Chemical used)
[source]
The PCA prefers the use of Biological control over the others mentioned but more particularly against the Chemical method because of the cost involved, as well as to limit the need to put harmful chemicals out into the environment.
According to the interviewed representative of the PCA, farmers need not worry about the cost of controlling the infestation, all they have to do is head on over to the PCA and they will take care of everything as well as providing the chemicals. The phone no. listed in their site to call is (632) - 9268533.[source]
The control of the infestation is very important to the emerging biofuels industry in the Philippines since some of the biodiesel producers in the country are targeting to use coconuts as their feedstock to producing Biodiesel.
Category: Biodiesel
December 12th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
The wisdom of using of earwigs against brontispa is being questioned by Mr. Wilco Liebregts (of Eco Consult Pacific) and proposes the use of the wasp Asecodes hispinarum instead:
[quote]Unlike other countries in SE Asia, the environmental regulations of the Philippines make the importation of biocontrol agents very difficult -
typically such a process there takes some 3 years, as it requires the approval from many agencies. Earwigs can help keep beetle populations low, but as predators they have other source of prey, and their dispersion rate between trees is low: in Thailand earwigs introduced into individual trees did control the pest, but one can understand that it is a very costly and time consuming undertaking, which is also hampered by the much lower reproduction rate of the earwig. The wasp
Asecodes hispinarum has shown to be the most effective parasitoid to bring Brontispa under biological control in the humid tropics, often showing a clear impact well within a year after release.
For the Philippines however it means that the Brontispa outbreak will therefore continue and increasingly cause serious damage in newly invaded areas for several more years to come, as has been experienced in other SE Asian and Pacific countries that the beetle has invaded. [/quote]
Quoted from: http://groups.google.com/group/coconut/browse_thread/thread/6ac0dbd90d473ab0/516a200e5a8425b8?lnk=raot
The use of endemic predators is of course better than introducing alien in any area, and is probably the basis of the DA/BPI’s decision to use local predators, fungus(among others in the pipeline: http://aseanipm.da.gov.ph/brontispa.htm).
The preference of biological control over chemical control is a very welcome indicator of the advancements made in environmentally-safe solutions for environmental problems.
January 3rd, 2008 at 4:50 pm
keep up the good works!!!
January 4th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
My coconut has been infested with coconut leaf beetle and i wonder how it came to our province imspite that our government officals have declared that ours (Aurora Province) is free from the said pest. What i want to know for this time is the control of the said pest. Its very alarming cause it is solely our own way of living. Please help.
January 4th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Hi Olimpio, pls try contacting the Philippine Coconut Authority, they will help you with your infestation
January 4th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Sir, please take the time to report it ASAP to the nearest Provincial or Municipal Agriculturist Office, the Philippine Coconut Authority or the Department of Agriculture. Under EO 664, Aurora province is actually included in the list of quarantined province because of brontispa.
There are several means of controlling the pest, chemical control being the last option, and only if infestation is considered intensive. The local Brontispa team will provide you with necesssary assistance t eliminate and control these pests.