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News Article Concern about kava dieback disease in Vanuatu

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This article explains that kava dieback disease is a plant disease that can kill kava plants and is caused by the cucumber mosaic virus. It discusses some areas in Vanuatu where it has been a problem lately, and the government's efforts to educate farmers about methods to prevent it, which include removing diseased plants, not replanting infected plant material, controlling aphids which transmit the virus, and using proper traditional growing methods.

Vanuatu Daily Post: Farmers advised to stop spread of kava disease

For reference see this previous discussion here about cucumber mosaic virus:
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/cucumber-mosaic-virus.12149
 

Alia

'Awa Grower/Collector
This article explains that kava dieback disease is a plant disease that can kill kava plants and is caused by the cucumber mosaic virus. It discusses some areas in Vanuatu where it has been a problem lately, and the government's efforts to educate farmers about methods to prevent it, which include removing diseased plants, not replanting infected plant material, controlling aphids which transmit the virus, and using proper traditional growing methods.

Vanuatu Daily Post: Farmers advised to stop spread of kava disease

For reference see this previous discussion here about cucumber mosaic virus:
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/cucumber-mosaic-virus.12149
Thanks for adding the Forums Historical Archive of kava and CMV. That really shows a lot. Just to add-- here in Hawai'i removing diseased plants and even parts of plants at first sign and feeding plant to induce new growth really does seem to help. One Pathologist here suggested that disease in one stalk of a plant does not always mean the entire plant has the disease or even will have it eventually. A farmer tends their crop-- "walking the soybeans" in the Mid-West U.S. Mainland is an art to search for pest, disease, any problem your crop may have. The purple sweet potato farmer across the stream from my house walks through his 6 acres almost daily. I walk the 'awa plants and search for problems. TOO many people, trying to be farmers, just think they can plant a crop and walk away. For real success and care of the 'awa you need to walk it!
 

kasa_balavu

Yaqona Dina
We had some losses to dieback last year. A small patch of 1yr old plants were wiped out by it. They just turn to jelly from the inside out.



removing diseased plants and even parts of plants at first sign and feeding plant to induce new growth really does seem to help. One Pathologist here suggested that disease in one stalk of a plant does not always mean the entire plant has the disease or even will have it eventually. A farmer tends their crop-- "walking the soybeans" in the Mid-West U.S. Mainland is an art to search for pest, disease, any problem your crop may have. The purple sweet potato farmer across the stream from my house walks through his 6 acres almost daily. I walk the 'awa plants and search for problems. TOO many people, trying to be farmers, just think they can plant a crop and walk away. For real success and care of the 'awa you need to walk it!
Great advice, and I agree completely about the need for constant monitoring. Catching it early is critical. Still, even when you know you have to do it to save the others, it's quite heartbreaking having to dig up and destroy diseased plants. Good practice for the zombie apocalypse when you'd have to kill infected friends and family :dead::cry:
 
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