Dubbed as the "tree of life," every part of the coconut (Cocos nucifera) has a use. But like all other agricultural crops, coconut trees are not exempted from pests.

Brontispa infestation damages coconut leaves. (Photo courtesy of www.asean-ipm.da.gov.ph)

The three most serious pests to coconuts are the rhinoceros beetle, the leaf-feeding slug caterpillar, and the recently introduced coconut leaf beetle (Brontispa longissima). These insects damage the coconut leaves. Brontispa sucks the palm of the leaves causing the plantation to appear black.

Despite farmers incurring losses from pests, they still do not invest on pest control measures. “Farmers (in general) would not adopt a technology that entails cost and modification of their traditional systems,” says Mr. Ambrosio Raul Alfiler of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Albay Research Center. Thus, the PCA emphasizes the use of biological and cultural controls or an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy that is specific to the crop and at the same time, coincides with traditional farming systems.

Biological controls refer to the enhancement of the relationship between the pest and its natural enemies. These methods are highly cost-effective since the control agent is naturally occurring in the area where the pest is. Microbial pathogens including viruses and fungi have very high specificity. Thus, they are not transferrable to plants, domestic animals, and humans. Once the bio-control is identified, farmers can easily concoct a spray solution and use it against the pest.

On the other hand, cultural controls entail the use of various farming practices to reduce pest infestation. These include covercropping and intercropping to conceal breeding places of pests, leaf pruning to increase sunlight penetration, and removal of infected parts to avoid further damage.

Continuous advocacy on bio- and cultural controls against pests empowers farmers and helps them make informed decisions especially in terms of crop protection and farm enhancement. The Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia, both highly dependent to agriculture -- should prioritize such initiatives in order to help the sector gain better yields and in the long run, improve farmers’ income.

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Report based on the presentation of Mr. Ambrosio Raul Alfiler titled “Development of Integrated Pest Management Strategies for Coconut” during the Agriculture and Development Seminar Series held 12 May 2009