Palm Tree Diseases-White Substance

Ganoderma Butt Rot

• Ganoderma butt rot is among the most serious diseases facing palm trees of all varieties. This fungal disease results in the formation of a white substance that starts on the tree as a soft, white circle that is approximately 1 inch in diameter. It eventually grows into a conk, which is a white, fungal protrusion that extends from the tree more than an inch and resembles a white shelf attached to the trunk of the palm.

Conk

• The white substance -- the conk -- serves as the reproductive mechanism of the fungus and produces millions of spores that easily spread to adjacent trees through the wind. As the conk ages, it changes appearance, morphing into a shiny and kidney-shaped object with varying shades of red and brown mixed into its dense, woody flesh. The fronds of the palm tree will begin to wilt and droop all the way to the trunk, although they rarely fall completely from the tree.

Considerations

• First diagnosed in the United States in the 1990s, the pathogen Ganoderma zonatum causes the disease and is extremely lethal to the palm tree. No cure or treatment is known and palms typically die within six to 12 months of the first occurrence of symptoms. In rare cases, the tree may live on for several years, but allowing an infected tree to remain in the environment is very dangerous because the fungus spreads easily to adjacent trees.

Prevention/Solution

• As of 2011, no fungicide is capable of managing this disease. Preventing this fungus from spreading demands complete removal -- and preferably incineration -- of the entire trunk and root system. The fungus remains in the soil, so planting a new palm in that location is not advisable; it will likely become infected, as well. Areas where Ganoderma butt rot has not been diagnosed should be inspected for the fungus every six months. If it is known to be present nearby, inspection of palm trees for infection should occur monthly.