Observations in Malaya on Bud-rot of Coco-nuts. 
BY 
A. SHARPLES, A.R.C.S., D.I.C., 
Mycologist , Federated Malay States and Straits Settlement. 
AND 
J. LAMBOURNE, F.R.H.S., 
Superintendent of Government Plantations , Federated Malay States. 
With Plates I- VII. 
J OHNSTONE’S work on Bud-rot of Coco-nuts (4) in the West Indies 
was the first definite contribution towards establishing a probable cause 
of the disease. Coleman (3) investigated a disease of the Areca Palm 
(. Areca' Catechu), and proved that Phytophthora omnivor a var. Arecae 
(Coleman) could attack this palm at the crown. Butler (2) about the same 
time worked on a Bud-rot of Palmyra Palm ( Borassus Jiabellifera :), and 
recorded successful inoculations of the young central heart leaves with 
Pytkinm palmivorum (Butler); recently Butler has reconsidered this fungus 
as Phytophthora palmiv or a (Butler). Johnstone (loc. cit.) forwards evidence 
for a bacterial origin of Bud-rot in Cocos nucifera , the causal organism 
being regarded as Bacillus coli (Escherlich) Migula. There would appear 
then to be little in common between the diseases of the three palms 
mentioned, except similar symptoms produced by very different causes. 
Shaw and Sundaraman (8) working on Bud-rot of Coco-nuts in 
Malabar performed inoculation experiments and stated that Phytophthora 
( Pythium ) palmivora (Butler) was the cause of the disease. Their observa- 
tions have received much support from the recent work of Reinking in 
the Philippines and Ashby in Jamaica. Ashby (1) considers Phytophthora 
palmivora (Butler) as the cause of Coco-nut Bud-rot in Jamaica. 
Reinking (7) says, ‘From these researches it can be stated with certainty 
that Phytophthora faberi (Maubl.) causes Coco-nut Bud-rot ; bacteria are 
apparently in the majority of cases always secondary, but are concerned 
with destroying the weakened tissues ’. These recent investigations bring 
the causes of the palm Bud-rots, mentioned above, more into line ; all 
are caused by different species of the genus Phytophthora . 
No definite information, from Malaya or other rubber-growing countries 
of the Middle East, on the Phytophthoras causing diseases of Coco-nut 
[Annals of Botany, Vol. XXXVI. No. CXLI. January, 1922.] 
