Pests:
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1. Rhinoceros beetle (Orycetes rhinoceros)
 Symptoms: Adult beetle bores into the unopened fronds and spathes, the affected fronds when fully opened show characteristic geometric cut.
 Control measures: Proper disposal of decaying organic debris extracting the beetle with a hook mechanically, filling the inner most three or four leaf axils of palm with a mixture of 5 BHC dust and sand (1:1), three times a year (April, Sept and December).



2. Black Headed Leaf Eating Caterpillar (Opisina arenosella)
 Symptoms: Caterpillars live on the undersurface of leaflets inside silken galleries and feed on chlorophyll.
 Control measures: Spraying of infected palms on the lower surface of the leaves with Dichlorvos (0.02%) or BHC 0.2% and Biological control through the releases of parasites like Parasierola nephantidis.



3. Red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus)
 Symptoms: Presence of hole, oozing out of a viscous brown fluid and extrusion of chewed up fibers through the sides, longitudinal splitting of leaf bases and wilting of inner leaves of the palm of 5-20 years age group.
 Control measures: Injection of Pyrethrin piperonyl butomide (Pyrocon-E) 10 ml in one liter of water per palm into the trunk through a hole above the infested portion, provision of traps by keeping fresh toddy, fermented with yeast and acetic acid etc…



4. Rats
 Symptoms: Damage tender nuts and cause severe crop loss.
 Control measures: Provide mechanical barrier, poisonous baiting with anti blood coagulant like Warfarin/fumarin compounds.


5. Coconut eriophyid mite (Aceria guerreronis)
Package of recommendations for the management of the coconut eriophyid mite



Control:
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 Application of FYM @ 50 kg/plant/year
 Application of neem cake @ 5 kg/plant/year
 Application of 500:320:1200 gm dose of NPK/plant/year (Urea-1.10 kg, SSP- 2 kg and MOP 2kg/plant/year)
 Application of MgSO4 @ 500 gm/plant/year in soil
 Application of borax @ 50 gm/plant/year in soil
 Spraying of Neem oil (2%) + Garlic liquid (2%) with addition of 5% sticker OR
 Spraying of Azadiractine (1%) @ 4 ml/lit. of water OR
 Spraying of Azadiractine (5%) @ 1 ml/lit. of water
 Root feeding of Azadiractine (1%) @ 10 ml/10 ml of water/plant OR
 Azadiractine (1%) @ 7.5 ml/10 ml of water/plant
Note: Time of spray- Three times in a year i. e. April-May, Sept.-Oct and Jan-Feb.
Method of application:
 The botanicals should be applied in the sequence indicated above at 45 days interval using a one litre hand sprayer. Rocker or Pedal sprayer can be used for spraying small trees.
 The spray should be applied at the crown region by a climber covering only the top six bunches during non rainy season.
 The bunches must be covered well by the spray fluid and approximately one litre of spray fluid may be required per tree


Diseases:
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1. Root (wilt) diseaes
 Symptoms: Prevalent throughout Kerala, adjoining districts in Tamil Nadu, most visual symptoms is abnormal bending of ribbing of the leaflet, a general yellowing, marginal necrosis of leaflets, yield is reduced considerably.
 Control measures
- Removal of affected palms and replanting with hybrids.
- Application of recommended NPK doses.
2. Stem bleeding (Thielaviopsis paradoxa)
 Symptoms: Exudation of a reddish brown liquid through cracks on the trunk later the bleeding points start decaying.
 Control measures: Remove the affected tissues a chisel and dress the wounds with hot coaltar and or Bordeaux paste.
3. Thanjavur wilt (Gonoderma lucidum)
 Symptoms: Decay of root system, flaccidity of pindle fibres, browning of outer leaves, arrested fruit set, appearance of bleeding patches on the stem, affected palms die within 2-3 years.
 Control measures: Apply 5 kg of neem cake per year, addition of organic matter, providing irrigation could check the spread of disease.
4. Bud rot (Phytophthora palmivora)
 Symptoms: Yellowing of one or two young leaves surrounding the spindle and droop drown often emitting a foul odour.
 Control measures
- Application of Bordeaux paste in the cut portion of the infected tissues at early stage of infection itself.
- Prophylatic spraying of 1% Bordeaux mixture to all healthy palms.