Oil palm crop protection mission GOPDC (Ghana) 28/09 to 4/10/2000

This mission, requested by the Managing Director of the Kwae plantation (GOPDC), was used to take stock of the phytosanitary situation with regard to outbreaks of the leaf-miner, Coelaenomenodera lameensis. In the Nucleus Estate, two plots were infested following contamination from adjacent Outgrowers. Another plot contains a small leaf-miner focus. All the infested zones were treated, but a residual population remains in one of them. In the Smallholders, routine checks did not reveal any foci. However, the Outgrowers are currently infested by this pest; Zone 3 (2211 ha) has a leaf-miner focus that was treated with Cartap (21 ha). In this case, treatment was successful in 4 to 5 rounds: the residual population is very small to nil. Zone 1 (2821 ha) also has a leaf-miner focus, which was treated with Cartap (22 ha). However, there is still a residual population in the treated plots. A few comments on phytosanitary monitoring (sampling, recap sheets) and on insecticide treatments (hot fogging technique, insecticides) were made for more effective management of pest control against this insect. A short demonstration session was also organized by the plantation managers to show the District Heads and Zonal Officers how defoliation should be recorded in Outgrower plots. A small Oryctes trapping trial was carried out with a new Ethyl 4-Methyloctanoate pheromone dispenser and lidless buckets with birdlimed bottom and sides. The Malaysian type trap with crossed aluminium plates was also proposed. (Résumé d'auteur