Inventor proposes nature-friendly ‘cocolisap’ solution

MANILA, Philippines - A local inventor might have developed an environmentally friendly and more sensible organic pesticide to eradicate the coconut scale insect (CSI) – also known as “cocolisap” – infestation now destroying coconut trees in Southern Tagalog and is threatening to spread to other regions.

Francisco Pagayon, chairman of the Filipino Inventors Society Producers Cooperative (FISPC), urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to test the probiotic organic pesticide solution spray developed by one of their members, Jesse Ambrocio Jr., who specially designed the solution to eradicate CSIs and prevent further breeding.

“They should come to us and look at this organic pesticide spray instead of looking at very questionable options to eradicate the cocolisap problem,” Pagayon told The STAR.

In an interview at the FISPC showroom in Quezon City, Ambrocio said that his “GBEE BEMO” spray is an environmentally friendly solution that could destroy the cocolisap and other insects that destroy coconut trees.

The solution could also help improve the yield of coconut trees.

“We are open to do field testing on an infested coconut plantation anytime. We can spray the GBEE Bemo concentrate for seven days. At the end of seven days, they can check if there are still cocolisap infesting the coconut trees,” Ambrocio said.

Ambrocio said that his probiotic organic pesticide spray is made from four organic compounds.

He said his organic pesticide is a more sensible solution compared to proposals earlier raised, such as the injection of “neonicotinoid” chemical and the propagation of predator insects that could eat cocolisap in coconut plantations.

Ambrocio declined to elaborate on the formula of his GBEE BEMO concentrate, saying that other organic pesticide manufacturers might copy it.

He is also reluctant to patent the formula for fear that it will just be copied.

“Injecting neonicotinoids into coconut trees is like poisoning the tree, and render their coconut fruit unsafe for people. You are better off cutting down all the trees in an infested coconut plantation and replanting new hybrid varieties,” Ambrocio said.

The DA launches today the government’s six-month emergency program for containing the cocolisap.

Presidential assistant on food security and agricultural modernization Francis Pangilinan will formally launch the program today in Barangay Potol, Tayabas, Quezon.

The PCA will conduct a demonstration on the operational interventions in fighting the infestation that has affected over 1.7 million coconut trees in the country out of the total 340 million.

Early this month, Pangilinan announced that the government would implement the Scale Insect Emergency Action Program that would run for six months beginning June.

The program involves various measures for containing the infestation that include tree pruning, spraying of organic pesticide and release of scale insect predators. 

After the pest control, fertilizer would be applied to affected coconut trees. Surveillance and quarantine of affected areas will also be implemented.

The government will also provide livelihood intervention to address income loss among farmers.

A budget of P750 million has been allotted for the program. An allocation of P460 million has been made for the first phase that runs from June to August, while P204 million and P88 million have been allocated for the second and third phases of the program, respectively.

The scale insects attacking coconut plants feed on sap drawn from the plant’s vascular system.

This results in yellowish color of leaves progressing to drying and wilting in young and old palms. Premature nut fall also contributes to yield reduction.

The prevailing infestation is an added blight to the local coconut industry which has only begun to recover from the damage caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda, which destroyed 34 million coconut trees in November last year. – With Czeriza Valencia