Promecotheca Spreads

Havoc Amongst Gasmata Coconuts Aid of US Expert May Be Enlisted

CONSIDERABLE alarm is felt among coconut planters of the Gasmata district of New Britain where the Promecotheca beetle is continuing to take toll of coconut plantations. At present, Mr. G. S.

Dun, entomologist of the Depart ment of Agriculture, is stationed in the district at Linga Linga planta tion (which is owned by Colyer Watson (NG) Ltd.) breeding the parasite Pleurotropis —a species of wasp—which is expected to keep the pest in check. (Promecotheca is a beetle which destroys the coconut’s fronds and consequently is fruiting buds.) Foremost in the battle against spread of the pest is Mr. John Allan, a young man who is leasing and working Ablingi Plantation (so far not affected) who was the first to bring the pest to the notice of Planters’ Association headquarters in Rabaul.

Reporting to the Association by letter, in May, Mr. Allan said that Ring Ring plantation was infested, as also was Ring Ring village and Lindenhaf en plantation. Linga Linga and Aiboki were partly in fested. To the east of Gasmata, Auahain and Arkhum villages were infested with the pest; and other small islands to the west of Gas mata were likewise infested, although Gasmata remained free.

He said that he had been warned to watch native movements and that the natives themselves had been warned by the ADO Kandrian not to carry native baskets from affected areas to non-infested areas.

However, Mr. Allan himself seemed not to be too optimistic of the re sult —he reported that natives were still bringing in copra to the co operative in Gasmata, and that a lot of it was carried in plaited baskets made from the fronds of in fested trees.

IN January, Mr. Dun made an investigation of the Gasmata area and reported that Linden hafen plantation was then reaching a stage where 97 per cent, of the palms would be affected and where no green tissue would remain. There was then a 50 per cent, loss of pro duction and he thought that this might rise to 80 per cent. The con dition was expected to last for from two to 2h years.

It is assumed by the Agricultural experts that Promecotheca bred up to pest proportions during an abnormal dry season in 1953, and during its ascendancy was un molested by the parasite that

usually keeps it in check.

Ravages by Promecotheca are by no means new in this area and at first it was assumed that the bal-