Coconut beetle management in Cambodia

摘要

In Cambodia, there is no large-scale commercial cultivation of coconut palms or coconut industry and no data on coconut production. Coconut palms are the main feature of family gardens and green or mature coconuts provide regular income. During the last five years, coconut palm plantations have been developing in some provinces. A preliminary survey conducted in 2004 showed that there were at least 12 million coconut palms in Cambodia. Among the coconut pests in Cambodia, rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros L.) is well known among Cambodian farmers and was believed to be the only insect that could attack coconut palms. In late 2001, coconut beetle (B. longissima) was recorded as a new pest in Cambodia. The first infestations were recorded in an area near the Vietnamese border, especially young coconut plantations, which had introduced seedlings from Viet Nam. Owing to the lack of expertise and experience on this new invasive alien species, within two years it had spread over the whole country. This new threat caused significant damage to coconut trees (on average 74 percent of coconut palms were attacked, resulting in mortality of 21 percent). To combat this problem, the Department of Agronomy and Agricultural Land Improvement (DAALI) of the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries took appropriate action (phytosanitary measures, pest outbreak intervention via insecticide and extension on control measures) to control and reduce the pest's spread. Unfortunately, the beetle is still established and inflicting significant damage in Cambodia. The losses induced by this invasion have affected Cambodian farmers. Assistance from other countries in the region with experience in B. longissima attack and FAO support were needed for successful control of the pest.