EPA OKs pesticide permit to stop bud rot

The permit to use the much-needed fungicide to stem the spread of the virulent bud rot disease that has already killed thousands of betel nut trees on the island has now been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Agriculture consultant Isidoro Cabrera of the Northern Marianas College–Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service said they could now move to stop and prevent the further spread of the killer fungi Pythopthora meadii among the betel nut population in the CNMI.

Cabrera said the EPA gave the CNMI a 90-day verbal approval for the use of the chemicals needed to stop the disease. Officially, though, the permit that will eventually be released after 90 days would allow CREES to purchase and use the chemicals for five years, starting April 15, 2005 until April 14, 2010.

When the permit expires, the college will have to apply for an extension or re-issuance of the permit, he added.

Under the permit, the CNMI is allowed to purchase the chemicals Fosphite, which contains mono and dipotassium salts of phosphorus acid, and Kocide 4.5 LF, which contains the active ingredient copper hydroxide.

Cabrera explained that it was necessary to obtain the EPA’s approval as the use of these pesticides against the killer fungi is not included on the list of their official uses.

It was CREES director Anthony Benavente who applied for these permits and submitted the documents to the Division of Environmental Quality last month. DEQ forwarded the request to EPA Region 9 office in California.

The bud rot disease on Saipan was first noticed in February this year among the betel nut trees in Papago and in two areas on Capitol Hill. It has now spread to Mt. Tapochao, As Lito, As Mahetog, Donne, Kagman, Tanapag and, San Vicente.

CREES initially asked for permission to use Kocide 45 LF only but visiting plant pathologist Dr. George Wall of the University of Guam advised Benavente last month to also acquire Fosphite to help combat the disease.

Wall said that the betel nut epidemic is the same disease that attacked Guam’s betel nut trees last year. He said they were able to obtain permission from EPA to use Fosphite, which is injected into the diseased betel nut trees.

He had said this chemical would tremendously help in the prevention of the bud rot disease because the product has low toxicity and could actually be injected inside the tree trunks. Also, it poses minimal risk to the environment.

Cabrera said that CREES would have to purchase the chemicals immediately since the Office of the Governor has already approved a budget of $10,000 for it since March 3.

Cabrera also said they would have to charge farmers a minimal fee for each application of the chemicals to sustain the project. Though they have yet to determine the actual fee, he said the money that they will collect would allow them to buy more of the chemicals when the budget becomes exhausted.

Betel nut farmer and former congressman Cris Guerrero had said in earlier reports that the disease has already affected hundreds of trees in his farm.