202 DISEASES OF TROPICAL PLANTS <m. 



irregular patches, which are at first yellowish and then 

 whitish in the centre, with a brownish margin. The 

 tissues become dry, the leaves ragged, and die pre- 

 maturely. The spores are formed on the upper surface. 

 The disease is much more severe in some places than in 

 others. Although it is not nearly so destructive as the 

 bud rot, it no doubt greatly reduces the vitality of the 

 trees. 



Its occurrence in the West Indies has been ques- 

 tioned. However, there is no doubt that a species of 

 Pestalozzia does occur on the coco-nut in the West 

 Indies, and other American tropics, and it is very 

 probably a variety of this species. However, in the 

 West Indies, the spores are said to form on the under 

 surface of the petioles. Stockdale has reported a 

 Pestalozzia on the coco-nuts in Mahaicony (British 

 Guiana) which causes yellowish spots on the leaflets 

 near the tips, and later causes the entire leaves to turn 

 yellow, then brown, and finally die. The dead parts 

 break and hang vertically, and the spots bear spores 

 on the upper surface. 



P. palmarum appears to be much more severe in 

 the East Indies than this same or similar disease in the 

 West Indies. It is especially severe on young palms, 

 and the most destructive outbreaks have been reported 

 from Travancore. 



The diseased parts should be cut and burned, and 

 the trees then sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. 



Godaveri Disease. This disease is caused by the 

 fungus Pytliium palmivorum, Butler. It was first 

 reported from the island of Godaveri in 1909. It 

 attacks the buds of both the coco-nut and Palmyra 

 palms * and causes heavy losses. It enters the bud 

 through the leaf sheath ; at first the leaf turns white, 

 usually beginning at some outer point and working 

 inward. Irregular, sunken spots, with raised edges, are 

 formed on the sheaths of the diseased trees. These 

 spots are white at first, but become brown. They 



1 It also attacks Areca catechu. 



