In order to protect the Philippine coconut and oil palm industries, quarantine measures have been placed to prevent the negative impact of oil palm disease observed in imported oil palm seedlings.

Recent findings of the Plant Quarantine Service revealed that imported oil palms were infected with a disease manifesting symptoms of Chlorotic Ringspot Virus, a quarantine pest of oil palm not present in the country. The disease is characterized by mosaic, mottling and ringspot leaf symptoms on young palms maintained in the nurseries.

Symptomatology and preliminary laboratory analysis indicated that the causal organism is a virus. However, results are not conclusive to confirm the specific identity of the organism causing chlorotic ringspot on oil palm plants. Further laboratory tests have to be conducted to confirm the identity of the pathogen.

Pending confirmation on the identity of the causal organism, the following phytosanitary measures are to be complied/implemented to prevent the continuous introduction of infected planting materials and spread of the disease to other areas of the country where it has not been observed:

 

- Oil palm planting materials to be imported should be certified by the exporting country as free from chlorotic ringspot virus disease, lethal yellowing and other disease of oil palm.

 

- Planting materials should come only from accredited seed producers in the country of origin. These producers should provide BPI with technical guidelines/standards/systems adopted and implemented in seed production prior to importation.

 

- Upon arrival, the materials shall be inspected and samples submitted to PQS for assay and testing. Materials shall be planted only in site/nursery approved by PQS. Post entry monitoring shall be conducted to check the presence of introduced pests.

 

- Existing oil palm nurseries shall be inspected and monitored to determine the distribution of the disease.

 

- Nurseries with plants found to exhibit the symptoms of chlorotic ringspot virus and other exotic diseases shall be isolated and prevented from distributing their seedlings for planting.

 

- Oil palm planting materials found to be infected with diseases shall be subjected to other quarantine measures as deemed necessary.

For strict compliance.

Adopted: 22 Aug. 2005

Recommending Approval:

(SGD.) LEALYN A. RAMOS
Officer-in-Charge

Approved:

(SGD.) DOMINGO F. PANGANIBAN
Secretary