Government Confirm Deadly Palm Tree Virus

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Environment Articles

Friday, 27 July 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St. John's - After more than a month of investigations, the Government on Thursday confirmed that palm trees in Antigua are indeed infected with a lethal yellowing infection that has already killed many palm trees, and created widespread panic in certain sections of the community.

Plant Protection Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Janil Gore Francis announced that the Government would be holding further discussions on how to deal with the matter.

In June, the Agriculture department had cautioned hotel and resort owners not to take advantage of an “illegal” treatment being marketed at the time for the plants, since confirmation on the nature of the problem was not yet ascertained. Government had even suggested that the treatment could be harmful to humans.

During the past month, while confirmation was being sought, the treatment was ignored and more palm trees  died.

According to reports reaching this publication, the matter of the available treatment must be put into proportion especially when considering the human health hazards that can come through the “illegal” treatment of the infected trees.

The application of the treatment Ox Tetracycline Hydrochloride is what was being contested.

In the meantime, Dr. Francis said discussions are underway on a “management plan”, with several avenues already being cited. Some of these avenues include the immediate destruction of any plants found to be infected.

Such a measure she says would be ideal since what causes the infection is a parasite-like creature that moves from one host to the other. It takes some three months between the time of infection and death of palms.

During this process, a ban had been put in place against the importation of palms and this ban will remain in effect until the eradication process is complete.

The infected plants were first found on the north side of Antigua and until Thursday, Dr. Francis said no infections were found in Barbuda.

In the meantime, Caribarena’s source has clarified that the affects of the “antibiotic” being applied to the infected trees are not much different than the ingredients in the food fed to poultry coming form the United States and consumed locally.

According to government information, the majority of palms in Antigua are being affected by an agent (or agents) that has caused the death of some plants to date and yellowing in others.

The Plant Protection Unit and the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment, which recently enlisted the assistance of a palm expert, has come down against the “unauthorized” treatment of the infected trees.

The expert was brought in last weekend and the results of the samples taken are being awaited.

According to the source, the same problem had hit neighboring Nevis and the denial and inability of the council there to act swiftly has lead to the death of almost all the coconut trees on the island.

The source also cited a similar instance in Jamaica in 1985, which lost over 90% of its coconut trees before effective remedial action was taken.

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Regarding the cited health issues, the source acknowledged that the antibiotic currently available is not “perfect” or ideal. “But it is the only chance that we have to keep the trees alive,” the source said.

It was further noted that the same treatment is in the chicken coming from the United States with much higher quantity than what would actually be in the coconut after treatment locally.

According to the government, the application of the antibiotic is an “illegal activity as the product has not been registered for use in Antigua and Barbuda,” and “improper application and use of this product can lead to serious health issues in children and other persons who consume coconuts taken from treated trees.”

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