Coconut Sector Development Project. The Oryctes problem in replantings of the Coconut Sector Development Project (CSDP) in Ghana. Assesment and recommendations : Report on the mission from 22 July to 3 August 2002

The visit to the CSDP plantations revealed that Oryctes monoceros is a serious constraint for coconut replantings in Ghana. In coastal zones, numerous coconut palms killed by disease enable the insect to reproduce and develop, and with the recently planted young coconut palms, it finds highly favourable feeding conditions. Attacks vary, ranging from serious enough to kill young palms, to nonexistent. These different situations primarily depend on whether there are any dead coconut palms, but cases also exist where the insect is endemic in neighbouring forest regrowth.It is possible to reduce the incidence of attacks by taking a certain number of steps recommended in this report, which consist in creating an environment that does not favour pest development: - Land should always be chosen with no old stems inside the zone or in the vicinity and farmers will be encouraged to work together to simplify the elimination of stems and concentrate efforts on replanting in zones with fewer dead stems. Measures will be examined to deal with standing dead palms belonging to other farmers not involved in the project. In order that stems are not to be a potential source of pest development, systematic destruction of rotten sections must become a monthly upkeep practice for farmers, by making them aware of the need to destroy larvae regularly. - If intercrops are dense and well developed, they are a positive element in reducing the risk of pest attacks in the early months. Trials will be conducted to define crop management sequences taking the Oryctes problem into account. - In order to cope with attacks, the best control method for farmers is hand picking of adults using a harpoon. The number of insects extracted from young coconut palms should be recorded to obtain an attack intensity indicator. This information, and the reasons for replacing dead coconut palms should be included in the monthly report. - In the context of this Project, chemical control will only be used exceptionally due to its cost. Studies will be continuing with OPRI to enable maximum advantage to be taken of prospects for more effective trapping, targeting this population of insects which seek out coconut palms and cause damage. - In view of the Philippine Coconut Authority's experience of O. rhinoceros control in regions affected by Cadang Cadang, it would be very useful if OPRI could send one of its researchers on a mission to familiarize himself with the measures taken by PCA and assess their effectiveness in terms of biological pest control, particularly the use of entomopathogens, such as Metarhizium anisopliae. -The improvement of chemical control and further trials with attractants and repellents will require special plots devoted to this work. It would be advisable for CSDP and OPRI to discuss this point and to determine requirements and the availability of such plots. (Résumé d'auteur