Bud rot — Arecanut

Symptoms

The first visible symptom is yellowing of the spindle leaf, the central emerging leaf of the palm. The spindle gradually loses its normal green colour and turns yellow. As the infection progresses, the spindle changes from yellow to brown. The spindle eventually rots completely. The affected spindle becomes loose and can be pulled out of the crown with only a slight pull. In advanced stages, the growing bud is affected, threatening the survival of the palm.