Sickly coconut palm new symptoms

[MattyNativeSeed]

Hey all.  Sorry for a somewhat duplicate thread.  I posted this on the end of my previous thread, but then I found out that I can't update the title, so I fear people might not look at it since they don't know there's new info.  And I'm a little concerned, so I thought I'd create a new thread.  Sorry if that's taboo!

Old thread is here: http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/53846-coconut-palm-ganoderma-potassium-deficiency-ly-nothing/

I had mostly been reassured of my coconut palm's health as of late.  I had been using some solid palm tree fertilizer at the normal suggested amounts, as well as some of the liquid Southern Ag stuff, at the doses recommended for medicating sickly palms.  I slowed down applications lately because it looked to be improving.  Some of the lower fronds kept dying, but at what looked like a slower rate.  Lots of healthy new growth.  The fraction of growth which looked healthy appeared to be increasing.  Plenty of healthy flowers (no necrosis and I've been watching like a hawk), and fairly few premature nut drops.  A full-view photo from today is attached as the first photo.  Clearly looks like maybe it was/is sick, but seems better to me than it used to.

If anything besides nutrient deficiency was ever wrong, I think I can safely eliminate LY, because I don't see many of the symptoms, and the decline has been slower than LY ever is.  I do still check the trunk for possible ganoderma conks.  Haven't seen any.

Well today I was poking around looking for conks, and noticed something that to me looks very concerning.  I think I recall seeing maybe the beginning stages of this a month or so, but didn't think anything of it at the time.  It looked worse today.  I saw what looked to be a part of the trunk that was almost bursting at the base (photo 2).  I think most trunks must go through something like this at some point, because it's common to see the exposed roots at the base.  That's why I didn't think anything of it the first time.  But this time it looked worse... almost rotten?  I poked at the base of the 'bursting' part, and noticed I could probably pull of a piece.  So I did, so I could see the back (photo 3).  Should I have even been able to pull off a piece?  It didnt exactly fall off, but it wasnt terribly hard to pull off either.  I didn't see anything too concerning... a little bit of white sinewy stuff on the back, but it looks more like fungus in the picture than it did in person... looked more like snail tracks in person.

I then also noticed these little white specks on the roots in this portion of the base (photo 4).  Do you recognize those?  Are they normal, or some sign of disease?

Lastly, and perhaps most concerning, is what I noticed in the portion of the base just to the right of the 'bursting' portion.  It looks almost concave inward, as if its almost buckling under the pressure of the weight of the tree.  It was hard to capture in a photo, but I tried (photo 5).  Do you see what I mean?  Is this concerning to you?  Is it common for the trunks to have a little inward notch like this, or is it a sign of very bad things?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[MattyNativeSeed]

Nobody?   I think I'll see if the city / extension can't send out an arborist to get an opinon..

[lahuasteca]

Don't like the looks of the crown.  Lethal yellowing?

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Matt,

Like Gene said, the crown doesn't look good.  What is that chunk in your hand?  Where did that come from?

John

P.S.  I think if you could get an extension agent out to look at it, they may be able to help answer your questions.  The extension service in Florida used to be very knowledgeable, much more so when it comes to tropical trees than our extension service over here, which has become a joke over the years.

 

[Gecrabill]

First and foremost, I am no expert. But the base of one of my coconuts is doing something similar. I even got a few chunks that fell off like yours. It looks like a possible shift of the root initiation zone on one side. It doesnt appear to be affecting my crown at all. Potentially due to the palm being planted too deep when it was transplanted, or even a storm that shifted the palm and could have taken place years ago. Again, I dont see any adverse affect on my coconut due to this. Just a little unsightly. 

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Matt.

Keep us posted on your palm.  I hope you can find the answer to the problem.  That is not something I have had to deal with yet, although, on my Green Malayan, there is a little notched chunk missing from one side of the base of the palm, but it doesn't seem to affect the palm at all.

John