Potential of Omics to Control Diseases and Pests in the Coconut Tree

Abstract

The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.) is a common crop in pantropical areas facing various challenges, one of them being the control of diseases and pests. Diseases such as bud rot caused by Phytophthora palmivora, lethal yellowing caused by phytoplasmas of the types 16SrIV-A, 16SrIV-D or 16SrIV-E, among others, and pests like the coconut palm weevil, Rhynchophorus vulneratus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and the horned beetle, Oryctes rhinocerus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), are controlled by applying pesticides, pheromones and cultural control. These practices do not guarantee eradication since some causal agents have become resistant or are imbedded in infected tissues making them difficult to eradicate. This review condenses the current genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics studies which are being conducted with the aim of understanding the pathosystems associated with the coconut palm, highlighting the findings generated by omics studies that may become future targets for the control of diseases and pests in the coconut crop.

Novel Insights into Phytoplasma Effectors

“…Phytoplasmas are diverse pathogens that cause severe problems in agriculture and horticulture. Integrated control management of the main phytoplasma diseases is expected to include early detection [92], the use of nonantibiotic antimicrobials [93], the use of resistant plant material [10] and novel strategies for environmentally friendly insect vector control [11]. In line with these strategies, effectoromics may play a key role in crop protection since effectors are targetable genes [12,13], or they may be used as "hunter genes" to detect genes encoding resistance proteins [94,95].…”

“…Integrated management of the main phytoplasma diseases is expected to include the use of resistant plant material [10] and novel strategies for environmentally friendly insect vector control [11]. Because effectors are essential for the virulence of the pathogen, they are also susceptible targets for the control of phytoplasma-associated diseases [12,13].…”

Interactive effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and transplanting media improves early growth, physiological traits, and soil nutrient status of coconut ‘Bido’ under tropical monsoon climate

“…The decline in coconut productivity is also caused by pest factors such as the "coconut fruit scab" caused by the mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Tzec-Simá et al, 2022). Likewise, the pests Rhynchophorus spp., Cyrtotrachelus sp., and Orycetes rhinoceros, as well as infectious diseases as bud rot disease (BRD) and nut fall disease (NFD) which are caused by Phytophthora palmivora, causing a decrease coconut productivity in North Sulawesi, Indonesia by 25.0% (Hosang et al, 2023).…”

“…This condition requires technological control efforts through integrated cultivation, such as intercropping, resistant cultivars, and increasing organic matter in the soil to maintain a good fertilization regime (Tzec-Simá et al, 2022). In addition, inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is used as a biocontrol agent in controlling plant diseases (Dey and Gosh, 2022).…”

Untargeted Metabolomics Analysis of Liquid Endosperm of Cocos nucifera L. at Three Stages of Maturation Evidenced Differences in Metabolic Regulation

“…This species is intensively cultivated in the tropical regions of the world; the estimated cultivation area is about 12 million ha with a world production of approximately 61 million tons annually. The main coconut producers are Indonesia, the Philippines and India; in Latin America, Brazil and Mexico lead the export market and rank fourth and eighth, respectively [3]. Within this species, two main groups of coconut varieties are described: tall and dwarf.…”