(GIST OF SCIENCE REPORTER) Root Wilt Disease

(JANUARY-2026)

Root Wilt Disease

Recently, phytoplasma-induced root wilt disease has destroyed large tracts of traditional coconut-growing areas in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala States.

About Root Wilt Disease:

It is caused by phytoplasma (bacteria) is one of the most devasting diseases of coconut palms.
Origin: It is classified as a non-fatal disease of coconut palm and was first identified more than a century and a half ago in Erattupetta in Kerala.
It is not lethal; but it debilitates the production potential of the palms.
Transmission: The disease spreads through insect vectors, aided by the movement of wind and uninterrupted stretches of coconut plantations.
The root (wilt) disease occurs in all major soil types but the spread is faster in sandy, sandy loam and alluvial soil.
Factors accelerating spread: Erratic temperatures, especially extremes, and the rise of new sucking pests, particularly whiteflies, have significantly accelerated its spread.

Symptoms of Root Wilt Disease:

Tapering of terminal portion of the trunk
Reduction of leaf size
Abnormal bending or Ribbing of leaf lets termed as flaccidity.
Flowering is delayed and also yield is considerably reduced.
The characteristic symptom is the flaccidity of leaflets.
Impact: The tree quickly becomes unproductive, sheds all its nuts, and assumes a distorted appearance.
Management: Breeding resistant and tolerant varieties remains one of the most successful tools for managing phytoplasma.