Recent Outbreak of Lethal Yellowing in Florida Leads to "State of Emergency"

The last time lethal yellowing was seen in palms on Marco Island was early 2002, but city officials are taking steps now to nip the disease in the bud in case it ever returns.

The Marco City Council approved a final reading of a proposed ordinance Monday night that will allow City Manager Bill Moss to declare a "localized state of emergency" and require inoculation within those areas, with or without the cooperation of property owners. The designated inoculation area would be 100 yards around the infected tree.

The ordinance comes on the heels of a recent outbreak of the lethal tree disease in North Naples.

Under the approved ordinance, Moss may require the inoculation of all coconut palm trees in an infected area. Moss may require owners to remove infected palms within five days of diagnosis. Owners near infected areas are now required to inoculate palms three times a year.

Lethal yellowing is spread by a tiny plant-hopping organism called Myndius crudus. The insect carries a bacteria that infects 38 varieties of palms. Insecticides can slow down the disease, but they cannot prevent it.

Nancy Richie, Marco Island environmental technician, helped draw up the ordinance and said the proposal closely mirrors the policies of Collier County and Naples.

Also in July Doug Caldwell, a commercial landscape horticulture specialist with the Collier County Extension Service, said the disease was confirmed on four trees on the Isles of Capri as recently as April. Marco has one known "hot spot," located near Chestnut Court, which authorities are monitoring closely.

Joe Boscaglia, contract manager for Collier County Community Development and Environmental Services Division, said the county has employed an "aggressive approach" to the disease by inoculating trees three times a year near areas where infected palms have been identified.

Caldwell said all fruit-bearing palms are susceptible to the disease, but those most vulnerable on Marco are coconut, Christmas and Canary Island date palms.

"Even if you think you have a resistant variety of palm, you'd better get it inoculated," Caldwell said. "We try to err on the better side of judgment. If we see anything that might be PLY (palm lethal yellowing), we get them out as fast as we can."

The first symptom of the disease is the premature dropping of coconuts, regardless of size or maturity. After the fruits have fallen, the ends of the palm fronds become black or brown. Entire fronds then turn yellow and sag from the tree.

Though treating infected trees is impossible, preventative measures are relatively easy and inexpensive. Experts recommend that trees be inoculated three times a year.

Do-it-yourself kits are not particularly profitable for local businesses, but some Naples nurseries do carry them.

Several local contractors offer the service for about $6 per tree.

Boscaglia said the recent outbreak in Naples should serve as a reminder that the disease is present and could easily spread without prevention.

"The trees that this is infecting are very costly and they're very costly to replace," Boscaglia said. "If nothing is done and this disease is left, it will spread and it will kill all the palms. It's important that people are made aware and seek out some sort of inoculation program."

Collier County Extension Service will hold an informative meeting on lethal yellowing from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, Aug. 20, at the extension service building, 14700 Immokalee Road.