Characterized by rotting of the terminal bud and surrounding tissues which emit foul smell
Water soaked lesions at the base of the petioles of the young leaves in the seedlings
The spear leaf turns pale and comes off with a gentle pull in the seedlings
In adult palm, the first externally visible symptom is withering of the spear leaf, which subsequently turns pale in colour, bends over at the base and hangs down
Withering and yellowing of one or two younger leaves surrounding the spindle
Rotting of the tender leaf base and soft tissues of the crown into a shiny mass of decayed material that emit a foul smell which attracts flies
Rotting progresses downwards, affects the meristem and kills the palms
The internal tissues show discolouration assuming a pale pink with a brown border
Drooping of successive leaves and falling of leaves one by one, leaving only mature leaves in the lower whorls at the crown
Retained nuts on the palm grow to maturity
The palm ultimately succumbs to the disease, if not checked
Affects palms of all ages, but young palms of less than 20 years of age are more susceptible especially during rainy / monsoon season
Control Measures
In early stages of the disease, when the spindle leaf starts withering, cut and remove all affected tissues of the crown along with some healthy tissues and apply Bordeaux paste and protect it from rain by providing a mud pot or a polythene covering till normal shoots emerges
Spray 1% Bordeaux mixture to the spindle leaves and 2-3 innermost whorls of leaves
Burn all diseased tissues removed from the palm
As a prophylactic measure, spray 1% Bordeaux mixture on the spindle leaves and on the base of 3-4 innermost whorls of leaves of neighbouring palms
In palms that are sensitive to copper containing fungicides, spray and spray drench with Mancozeb 0.4% (4g/L)
Small perforated sachets containing 2g Mancozeb may be tied to the top of the leaf axil. When it rains, a small quantity of the fungicide is released from the sachets to the leaf base, thus protecting the palm
Adopt control measures for rhinoceros beetle and red palm weevil
Provide adequate drainage in gardens
Adopt proper spacing and avoid overcrowding in bud rot prone gardens
In bud rot prone gardens, prophylactic measures should be done to all palms 2-3 times at 45 days intervals
Clean the crown before monsoon and follow strict phyto-sanitation
Regular application of organic matters favors the establishment of bio-control agents and suppression of pathogens
Apply salt and ash mixture or paddy husk after removing the affected portion in the crown and subsequently cover with a mud pot. They absorb moisture and keep the protected portion dry
Apply bleaching powder on the affected portion
Cut and remove badly affected palms from the field
Dept of Agriculture Development 
SFAC Kerala