Identification Symptoms

  • Scale insects affect on leaves and nuts of coconut palms.
  • They form a continuous crust over flower spikes, young nuts and lower surface of leaves.
  • Infested coconut fronds exhibit yellow areas on the upper surface, formed by numerous yellow spots each marking the position of the coconut scale on the under surface.
  • Nymphs reside and develop in leaf by sucking the sap.
  • Entire leaves may turn bright yellow to brown and fall.
  • Sooty mould may develop.
  • In extreme cases, the leaves dry out, entire fronds drop off and the crown dies.
  • Heavy infestation results in stunting of new leaves, reduction of crop yield.