Disease Note

Phytomonas Flagellates Associated with Diseased Coconut Palm in Central America. R. E. McCoy, R. A. Rodriguez, and J. A. Guzman, Agricultural Research Center, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale 33314, and ASBANA, San José, Costa Rica. Plant Dis. 68:537, 1984. Accepted for publication 8 February 1984. Copyright 1984 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-68-537a.

Flagellated protozoa of the genus Phytomonas were associated with coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L. 'Red Malayan Dwarf') affected by a previously described lethal wilt disease in Costa Rica.  Protozoa were not found in unaffected palms.  Symptoms differed from the Phytomonas-associated cedros wilt and hartrot diseases in that spear leaf and inflorescence necrosis were not early symptoms.  Protozoal cells from roots and inflorescences were about 1 × 20 μm and the ratios of length from anterior end to kinetoplast and nucleus to overall length were 0.1 and 0.28, which fits the descriptions of P. staheli McGhee & McGhee.  This is the first report of this organism associated with diseased plants in Central America.

References: Guzman, J. A. Annu. Rep. Dep. Divers. Agric., ASBANA, Costa Rica. 4:9, 1981.  McGhee, R. B., and McGhee, A. H. J. Protozool. 26:348, 1979.