Pink Rot

[MattyB]

My beloved Archontophoenix myolensis has been battling pink rot (gliocladium blight) for the last year and it was time to put the poor fella down.  The pink rot was well into the trunk and progresses upwards into the growing point faster than the palm can grow.  I was hoping that it would outgrow it with the arrival of warmer weather but pink dust was just coming off of it and I don't want to put my other plants at risk.

You can see the necrotic circular area in the trunk.

[MattyB]

A close up looking at the pink powder in the cracks of the trunk.

[MattyB]

Opposite side of trunk showing the same progressing necrosis/infection.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

                              ......

Space for new palms!    ::    :laugh:

[deezpalms]

Bummer matty!! I know how much you loved this palm.  

[MattyB]

This is a picture of a granular lawn fungicide from Scott.  The active ingredient is T-methyl which I've read is one of the only things that can combat the pink rot spores.  Some have said it's mildly systemic too, which once inside the trunk would be the only way to get at it.  So I spread some around the base of the palm and pilled it up in the leaf bases as shown here.  Obviously it did not cure the pink rot....But....it did eliminate all of the pink rot that usually shows up behind all of the leaf bases when they are removed!  This is very promising to me!  So, if you have the pink rot showing up in your leaf bases but it's not in the trunk yet, then pile this stuff up against the petioles as shown and let it filter any water that flows down through the crownshaft.  Maybe this will help with early symptoms.  And don't rip off any leafbases because the pink rot will enter the trunk at those points.

[MattyB]

Off with your head.  I used a large kitchen knife to do all of the cutting down.  I didn't want to contaminate my pruners.

[MattyB]

The autopsy begins!  You can see the brown necrotic parts as I peeled the surface bark away.

[paulgila]

i remember the when i first saw this palm i thought it was the best-looking archontophoenix i had seen & i needed to get one for my yard asap!

sorry to see it go,matt.

[MattyB]

I lumberjacked into the softer crownshaft and expected to see a pink cloud but didn't.  At this point I thought, "should I have left it alone?"  What do you think?  Please note that the brown seen here is only from the oxidization from the air, similar to what happens to an apple once cut open.

[MattyB]

More necrotic area under the trunk.

[MattyB]

Section view.  You can see the brown/black infected area.  I was suprised to see it wasn't very deep.  The infection seems to travel along the vascular bundles, vertically much faster than transversing them laterally.  I sound smart. ???

[MattyB]

The good news:  More room for Coccothrinax fragrans!

So just to reiterate:  Give T-methyl a try as a topical treatment if the pink rot isn't inside the palm already.

I hate pink rot!

[Dypsisdean]

Matt,

I've always felt you didn't belong in the upper echelons of palm growing until you've killed enough palms.

All I can say is, "Welcome." I joined many years ago.

[MattyB]

Thanks?

[Kim]

Any tips for avoiding the pink rot?  Is this something floating around in the air or does it appear due to improper cultural practices?

[MattyB]

Avoid cool, wet winters (good luck)  Other than that, don't water into the crown.  This is most important in wintertime here in CA.  And never, force a leafbase off.  I love the look of a fresh crownshaft but let those brown ones stay if they've not separated on their own.

Oh, yeah to answer your question Kim, yes, it's an airborne pathogen here in CA.

To avoid buying young plants w/ this pathogen you can look for early visible symptoms other than the pink powder.  If the oldest leaf base (mostly Archontophoenix, Euterpe, Roystonea) instead of drying/browning from the edge and moving it's way in, shows an irregular or circular browning off then it might have the pink rot.  It's hard to describe but now I know it when I see it.

[paulgila]

you've been watching the science channel again,haven't you matt?a little knowledge is a dangerous thing...

[Scott]

Matty - I'm really sorry for your loss .

Is the Cocothrinax planted in the same spot? And if so, did you do anything special with the soil there?

Would it perhaps need to be dug out entirely and replaced with fresh?

What worries me is I wouldn't know some of these diseases if I saw them. And infecting other palms would always be a concern.

[Scott]

(MattyB @ Feb. 20 2007,09:25)

QUOTE

Off with your head.  I used a large kitchen knife to do all of the cutting down.

Wasn't there a Bette Davis film along this line?

[MattyB]

That's a good question Scott (the one about the soil, I have no clue what Betty Davis movie you're refering too).  Is the gliocladium in the soil too?  Or just the plants tissue?  Either way, I'm not replacing the soil.  I won't be planting any other palm there so hopefully if it is there it'll just die out eventually.  The Coccothrinax is on it's own.  It better buck up and be a man!

[paulgila]

matt has only seen movies that are in color!

[MattyB]

I don't like watching the style of acting in most old movies.  Did people really talk that way back then?   I don't think so.  It's just a style that I can't relate to.  Fakey McFakerson!  Please don't shove that down my throat, thank you!  Do you think we're idiots?  I just don't like watching acting actors, I like watching real people having real experiences and real interaction set inside of a story.That said, there are a few good ones that are just real no matter how long ago they were made.

[paulgila]

doctors make the worst patients.

actors make the worst movie critics.

[Walter John]

Hush Hush Sweet MattyB

[MattyB]

Screw you guys!  I'm gonna go watch the Discovery Channel!

[PALM MOD]

Matt,

Get back on topic. You're hijacking this guy's thread.

[LJG]

(Dypsisdean @ Feb. 20 2007,09:31)

QUOTE

Matt,

I've always felt you didn't belong in the upper echelons of palm growing until you've killed enough palms.

All I can say is, "Welcome." I joined many years ago.

Not sure I agree with this. I have never killed a palm. EVER!

To borrow from a phrase wise palm grower 'I have never killed a palm, they have just committed suicide'.

[Nigel]

Matt that brown discolouration in white tissue is typical first sign of pink rot. I see it in young seedlings before they die, the first symptom is browning of all leaf tips slowly back to the petiole,yet the spear continues to grow for a while.

The pink dust comes later.

According to Alan Meerow the best (and only effective) treatment is carbendazim.

[gsn]

(IPSPTModerator @ Feb. 20 2007,15:39)

QUOTE

Matt,

Get back on topic. You're hijacking this guy's thread.

me thinks he is hijacking HIMSELF!

"DEATH of a PALM"  a mystery/drama opening at a theatre near you this spring! An indy film shot in amazing TECHNICOLOR!

Starring Matty B,

guest appearances by Archontophoenix myolensis, and gliocladium (aka pink rot). Playing a key supporting role as himself, the KITCHEN knife!

[MattyB]

(Nigel @ Feb. 20 2007,14:19)

QUOTE

Matt that brown discolouration in white tissue is typical first sign of pink rot. I see it in young seedlings before they die, the first symptom is browning of all leaf tips slowly back to the petiole,yet the spear continues to grow for a while.

The pink dust comes later.

According to Alan Meerow the best (and only effective) treatment is carbendazim.

Does anyone know of an off the shelf fungicide that uses Carbendazim as the active ingredient?

[STEVE IN SO CAL]

Actually, I thought that it diddn't look that bad...what do you want for it?

The 'stepped' trunk looks like a A. Beatrice  ???

[BigWaveDave]

Hey matt, I just noticed some of the typical salmon colored fruiting bodies on one of the old leaf bases of my A. maxima (im not going to pull it off).  It has been kind of stressed this winter with a fizzle top like problem, then all the cold.  I'm going to go get some of that scotts stuff.  Do you know if it will harm the palm by just sitting in the leaf base?  I did notice a spot on the trunk about the size of a nickle, that looks a little like your pictures.  Should I wrap some of the scotts fungicide around that part of the trunk?  Will it soak in?

[BS Man about Palms]

Matt-

Is this where you got the info?...

http://ceventura.ucdavis.edu/newsletterfil...e_Notes3322.pdf

Bill

[DoomsDave]

In keeping with the accolades from the others --

MATTY THE MURDERER!

Alas, welcome to the club, brother.

If I had a dollar for every palm I've killed through sheer foolishness, much less disease, I'd be much more financially comfortable than I'm prepared to admit.  

I'd go ahead and just plant two or three more myos, and they'll probably just grow.

Keep on keepin' on.

dave

[MattyB]

BS, yes that's one of the articles I've read, I specifically noted the "weakly systemic" note about T-Methyl.

Big Wave, piling the T-Methyl up agains the palm dosen't hurt it as far as I've noticed.  And yes, try and wrap some of it around the spot in the trunk w/ a rag or ace bandage or something, that's a good idea.  I tell ya though, once it's in the trunk it's a biotch.  I sprayed bleach, Hydrogen Peroxide and daconil into the cracks where I could see the pink powder and not only does it resist liquid the bleach dosen't seem to kill it.   ???

I had a thought.  If it's just a small spot on the trunk I'd consider cutting the infected tissue out and wrapping w/ T-Methyl if it wouldn't be easily seen down the road.

[BigWaveDave]

Here are some pictures.  I think I may have over reacted about the spot on the trunk.  This palm did get burned from the cold, and I think it has fizzle top, any comments?

Some pink powder on the inside of the leaf base.

spot on the trunk, probably just an old scare from the leafe base?

[BigWaveDave]

problems in the crown

Overall picture of the palm.  Its a beautiful palm and I don't want to lose it.  I think it is A.maxima.

[Scott]

Dave - that sure is a beauty! About how old is it?

I wish you the best with it.  Good luck,

Scott

[MattyB]

Looks fine for now Dave.  Give the T-Methyl a try to eliminate any pink powder from inside of the leaf bases.