New fungus
infects local papayas

Farmers fight its spread with
varying degrees of success

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By Rod Thompson
rthompson@starbulletin.com

HILO >> A new disease called black spot fungus is spreading rapidly through Big Island papaya fields, but farmers differ on how much danger it poses.

The fungus was first noticed on papaya plants in Haiku, Maui, in February, according to the state Department of Agriculture. It was later found on Oahu and the Big Island.

It produces small black spots on the undersides of papaya leaves and lighter spots on papaya fruit. Uncontrolled, it destroys papaya plants.

"It's bad and it's getting worse," said William Julian, the Big island's largest independent papaya grower with 200 acres at Kapoho.

Ten acres of his planting are now affected, Julian said. But the fungus spreads so fast, in six months half of his acreage could be affected, he said.

Julian has used three different fungicides on his trees.

"It's not working," he said.

With current summer conditions, fields have been mostly dry. Winter wetness could make the problem much bigger, Julian predicted.

With the disease hitting just as the industry recovers from the unrelated ringspot disease and low prices, Julian was pessimistic.

"In the future, I don't know if there's any hope for papaya," he said. "We need help."

In contrast, Danny Molina, with 30 acres of papayas at Opihikao, said he has the problem under control. Molina was already spraying Kocide fungicide twice a month for other problems when black spot hit.

Kocide is one of the chemicals used by Julian.

Molina continued using Kocide, and he only gets one or two spots on each fruit, he said.

He suggested others have problems because the disease got too advanced before they used fungicide.

The Department of Agriculture says the disease is found in Brazil but is controlled there by fungicides.

Emerson Llantero at the Papaya Administrative Committee says papayas can be exported from the state if they don't have too many spots.

"It's a cosmetic thing," he said.

Still, the committee allotted $15,000 for research and is waiting for a study proposal by the University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service, he said.

For more information, check "Black Spot of Papaya Disease" at http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/npa.htm