Cadang-Cadang virus threatens coco trees

Over 50 coconut farmers in the province are at risk of losing their livelihood should a virus called "cadang-cadang" infect the estimated 40,000 coconut trees in the province.

Philippine Coconut Authority manager Deodero Ravelo said cadang-cadang struck coconut farms in the Bicol region including Masbate and Catanduanes, and also in Northern Samar.

Cadang-cadang, which is "gadan-gadan" in Bicolano, means dead or dying, and refers to a premature decline and death of coconut palms associated with viroid infection called Coconut Cadang-Cadang Viroid (CCVD).

Here in the province of Cebu, there is a possibility of infection because of the presence of entry points in the northern towns of boats from Masbate.

"That is why we have to implement a Cadang-Cadang containment program in all access points to Cebu from Leyte, Masbate, Samar and Bicol," Ravelo said.

In a region-wide scope, there are at most 130,000 hectares of land planted with coconut trees.

According to a primer provided by the Agriculture Communication Department, CCVd can be successfully transmitted to palms through contaminated harvesting scythes, bolos and knives.

However, generally, the mode of natural inoculation in the field is not yet known.

No insect vector has been found and positive transmission was obtained through assisted pollination of mother palms with pollen from "disease palms."

Other plants attacked by CCVd are anahaw, buri, and the African oil palm.

Most of those infected showed stunting and yellow leaf spotting.

Cadang-Cadang is contagious and is not likely to be due to soil, physical, biological or chemical factors.

There is no direct measure to control the contamination though the replacement of infected palms or replanting of infected plantations is the earliest recommended means to reduce the losses due to cadang-cadang.

In the Regional Distribution of Production of Crops, Central Visayas contributed 2.50 percent of the more than 2,500 metric tons of coconut crops produced by the entire Visayas in the Philippines last year. - Ferliza C. Contratista