New Report of Pre-emergent Inflorescence Rot of Coconut from India

Author: B. Gangadhara Naik, K. Hariprasad*, M.K. Naik, M. Hanumanthappa and Suresh Patil

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Abstract

Coconut inflorescence sap tapped from the unopened spathe or inflorescence of coconut commonly called as neera in Karnataka is a healthy and therapeutic drink which is rich in Vitamin-C and one of the natural product derived from coconut. During pre winter period in and around the coconut growing areas of Bhadravathi taluk of Shivamogga district many coconut palms were found expressing the inflorescence rot symptoms which was not yet recorded earlier in neera extracting coconut palms. The affected spathe appeared to be yellowish green, spathe when made a fine cut at around 45º angle for neera collection. It was observed that the pathogen enters through the cut end and initially moves through the individual rachillae and as the disease progresses it infected all the floral organs and turns them into brown to blackish color resulting in rotting of entire inflorescence. Such inflorescence emitted foul smell. From such inflorescence a fungus was isolated and identified as Thielaviopsis pa

Keywords

Pre-emergent inflorescence rot, Thielaviopsis paradoxa, Characterization, Coconut.

Conclusion

Neera is a unfermented sap tapped from the immature inflorescence of coconut. As it contains sugars, minerals and vitamins it is considered to be one of the best natural health drink. Although there is no history of any plant pathogen affecting the neera production tilldate many coconut palms were found expressing the pre emergent inflorescence rotting like symptoms during pre winter period in and around the coconut growing areas of Bhadravathi taluk of Shivamogga district. Therefore from the present study it was revealed that Thielaviopsis paradoxa to be the exact cause for the pre emergent inflorescence rotting in coconut. To the best of our knowledge this the first report of Thielaviopsis paradoxa causing inflorescence rot of coconut in India. Hence the sequence of ITS rDNA region of was deposited in the Genbank. However in the future days the multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of the pathogen will be studied in detail.

References

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How to cite this article

B. Gangadhara Naik, K. Hariprasad, M.K. Naik, M. Hanumanthappa and Suresh Patil (2022). New Report of Pre-emergent Inflorescence Rot of Coconut from India. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(1): 1043-1046.