Abstract

Mahali or Koleroga disease of arecanuts is the most serious disease of areca palms in Malabar and South Kanara of the Madras Presidency. There are about 80,000 acres under Areca in the former and 20,000 acres in the latter district. In addition to these localities the disease is also prevalent in the North Kanara district of Bombay and in the states of Mysore, Cochin and Travancore. The disease first attracted the attention of the Mysore Mycolo- gist Dr. Coleman who investigated it and published his results in the form of a bulletin in the year 1910. It was shown that the disease could be effectively controlled by proper spraying. Our province had just then realised the necessity for a mycologist of its own and appointed Mr. McRae as the Madras Mycologist in 1910. Some time after he took up his post, he found the disease widely prevalent in certain arecanut areas in Malabar. He conducted spraying trials and demonstrated to the areca growers of Malabar that the disease could be effectively controlled. The propaganda was so successful that areca growers in Malabar were soon conversant with the measures advocated by the department. Since then the demand for the chemicals necessary for the spraying has fostered a trade in these articles so that stocks are obtainable in many of the petty shops in areca areas of Malabar.

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