Review of Applied Mycology, Vol. 1 (Classic Reprint)

At the end of 1920 only thirteen oil-palms remained out of 130 African trees mentioned in the 1919 report as being attacked by bud-rot. The prevalence of this disease among palms imported from Africa is such that their cultivation in Surinam cannot be recommended. The course of the disease is so rapid that combative measures are of no avail. The native varieties of oil-palm produce annually a much greater number of clusters, but the weight of these is less than in the African palms. Investigations in the Philippines have shown that bud-rot of coco-nut palms can be produced by the fungus Phytophthora Faheri, which also causes cacao canker and black rot of cacao fruit. A number of coco-nut palms some young and others eight years old were infected with spores of P. Faheri, the method employed being the same as in the bacterial inoculations, and very quickly exhibited large watery spots, 1-2 cm. in diameter, on the youngest parts of the leaves. Microscopical examination revealed the typical P. Faheri mycelium, and after a day in a moist atmosphere the first conidiophores were visible. These experiments were not carried out until the end of the year, so that definite information as to the presence of bud-rot cannot be included in this report, but it is certain, at any rate, that P. Faheri is capable of penetrating the young tissue of the Surinam coco-nut palms, and it is possibly responsible in part for the bud-rot disease. Erythrina glauca has been severely attacked by a fungus, not yet identified, which causes a bark disease. The tissues are penetrated by numerous white rhizomorphs, which finally pierce the wood -and continue to develop in the medullary rays and parenchyma. Exposed to the air, the rhizomorphs turn sea-green. As soon as the decay reaches the base of the trunk the trees fall. There have been cases of a disease of Bourbon sugar-canes closely resem
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)