Seemanti Chakrabarti

staff

Publications

Sample Collection for Ganoderma Butt Rot of Palms

Braham Dhillon and Seemanti Chakrabarti

Palms are an integral part of the urban landscape in Florida. Ganoderma butt rot of palms, a disease caused by the wood-decaying white-rot fungus Ganoderma zonatum, is one of the major biotic concerns for the landscape industry. The lethal disease is prevalent across palm-growing regions in the US, and all palm species are believed to be susceptible to this fungus. It may take six months to a year for the diseased palm to die once the initial symptoms appear. But with the availability of a disease diagnostic assay, this fungal pathogen can be detected using saw dust samples collected from declining palms, several months before symptoms appear. Collect good quality samples by following these steps and understanding the caveats associated with each step.

Lesion Mimics in Mule Palm (× Butyagrus nabonnandii)

Braham Dhillon, Lucas Altarugio, Seemanti Chakrabarti, and Kamaldeep Bansal

Palms (Arecaceae) are flowering plants with varied growth forms ranging from climbers to tree-like plants found across diverse habitats. Some palm species naturally hybridize with other species, whereas a few species can be artificially hybridized to produce new morphotypes. Mule palm (× Butyagrus nabonnandii) is an artificial hybrid that is becoming popular as a landscape ornamental because of its appearance and cold hardiness. However, hybridization among different species could lead to unintended outcomes, including lesion mimics. A lesion mimic phenotype was identified in mule palms growing across multiple farms across central and south Florida. As leaf spots are one of the most common symptoms observed during disease or nutritional deficiency, the detection of lesion mimics can sometimes be challenging. This publication documents a simple method to identify lesion mimics in palms. Correct diagnosis of lesion mimics would limit unnecessary applications of fungicides or fertilizers.

Recolección de muestras de pudrición basal de las palmas causada por Ganoderma

Braham Dhillon y Seemanti Chakrabarti

Las palmeras son una parte integral del paisaje urbano de Florida. La pudrición de las palmas por Ganoderma, una enfermedad causada por el hongo Ganoderma zonatum, que descompone la madera, es una de las principales preocupaciones bióticas para la industria del paisajismo. La enfermedad letal prevalece en las regiones de cultivo de palmeras en los EE. UU., y se cree que todas las especies de palmeras son susceptibles a este hongo. La palma enferma puede tardar entre seis meses y un año en morir una vez que aparecen los síntomas iniciales. Pero con la disponibilidad de un ensayo de diagnóstico de enfermedades, este patógeno fúngico se puede detectar utilizando muestras de aserrín recogidas de palmas en declive, varios meses antes de que aparezcan los síntomas. Aquí se indican los pasos a seguir.