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This book offers a practical and innovative guide to managing the complex relationship between coconut plantations and insect pests. It focuses on effective solutions for pest identification, monitoring, and management through a blend of cutting-edge technologies and traditional approaches.
The coconut palm, aptly called the "tree of life," sustains millions of people across tropical regions, providing food, income, and livelihoods. Cultivated on approximately 12 million hectares globally, coconut production faces unprecedented challenges. Meeting the growing demand for diverse coconut products-from coconut water and oil to emerging uses like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)-requires balancing food security with renewable energy needs.
Adding to these challenges are pest infestations, including insects, mites, and vertebrates, which can cause crop losses of up to 30%. These threats not only lower yields but also jeopardise income and food security for coconut-dependent communities.
Across the chapters, prominent coconut sector researchers and academics delve into pest biology, ecology, plant-pest interactions, climate change effects, organic farming, molecular tools, regulatory frameworks, and best practices for pest management. It contains detailed strategies for breeding coconut palms with enhanced pest resistance and addresses critical topics such as biosecurity and the global exchange of coconut germplasm.
With its unique emphasis on practices and real-world applications, this volume is an essential resource for researchers, agricultural professionals, practitioners, and policymakers committed to building a resilient coconut sector.
About the author
Jelfina Constansje Alouw
is the Director General of the International Coconut Community (ICC) an intergovernment organisation with 21 member countries based in Jakarta, Indonesia. She obtained her B.S. Agriculture degree in 1992 from The University of Sam Ratulangi Manado, Indonesia; her M.Sc. degree in Entomology and Management from the University of the Philippines at Los Banos in 2002. Ph.D. degree in Entomology from the University of Nebraska Lincoln USA in 2015. She worked as a researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Head of Coconut Research Laboratory, and Deputy Director of Collaboration and Dissemination at the Indonesian Centre for Estate Crop Research and Development. Has published several national and international papers on the coconut sector in globally indexed journals since 1994. Editor-in-Chief, CORD Journal and COCOINFO International magazine, a member of the Steering Committee of the International Coconut Genetic Resources Networks (COGENT).
Aluthwala Hewa Nuwan Chinthaka
is the Deputy Director General, International Coconut Community (ICC), Jakarta, Indonesia. DDG, ICC is instrumental in coordinating the activities with all the 21 member countries; and supporting the publications of ICC: Cocommunity Newsletter, Cocoinfo International Magazine, and CORD Journal. He is also the ICC-International Coconut Genetic Resources Network (COGENT) Coordinator. He holds a Master of Science in Environment Management from the University of Colombo and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Science from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. He has served in various governmental organizations, including the Presidential Secretariat, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Ministry of Plantation Industries, Sri Lanka.
