Many palms infected by the time of disease caution
"We don't have anything this time when the fasting month is upon us," he said.
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By
Aminath Shifleen
While the government has asked people to be cautious about the emergence of a deadly new disease in trees and palms in the country, it has been a long time since the disease has affected trees and palms in some islands.
One of the largest coconut palm plantations in the Maldives is in HDh. Kumundho. It has been three years now that the disease has affected the palm trees of Kumundhoo and the trees have been destroyed. Due to the disease, the island's council said it was unable to provide a guest on the island with the customary fresh coconut drink even anymore.
Agriculture ministry had on Wednesday issued an advisory asking people to be cautious about the disease, which is caused by a living organism.
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A black fungus called sooty-mold spreads when the worms that carry this disease attacked the green parts of the tree.
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As a result, it has been observed that some trees are getting malnutritioned and some are dying
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The disease affects trees from everywhere, farm grown and garden plants even
Urging people to be cautious about the disease, the announcement read:
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If trees and parts of trees are transported from one island to another, it is important to keep the trees at a particular place away from the fields; it is important to keep them safely until it is confirmed that they do not have symptoms of the disease
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If any symptoms of infection are detected or suspected in the trees, the ministry should be informed through the local councils
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Tree vendors and tree buyers should be extra cautious about the disease
According to the ministry, efforts are being made to identify and control the disease.
Speaking to Atoll Times in January, Vice President of Kumundhoo Council Ali Anwar said, the first hindrance was the beetle larvae that began to teat the coconut palms from inside out. He said that the sooty-mold had come on them while he was still battling with the beetle problem upon the palm trees.
"Now, all the trees are blackened with the mold. The palm trees wont grown, and they dont bear any fruit," Anwar said.
According to him, due to the infection, the green colour of the trees have been lost and when you look from a distance, the entire area is black.
Anwar said that earlier, Kumundhoo would never have been without coconuts, in various stages, but with the new epidemic, the trees have been destroyed and none of the fruits on them can be eaten.
"We don't have anything this time when the fasting month is upon us," he said.
Anwar said on Thursday that he had informed the agriculture ministry about the infection and medicines were given at that time. However, the medicine, which is in a small rubber bag, had to be applied on the front of every tree, so it could not be done in the best possible manner, he said.
"Some trees have recovered after taking medicine. But it was very difficult for us to do it with so tall, so many of these palm trees," he said.
