Lightning Strike of Cacao and Leucaena in New Britain.

Abstract

A description is given of a condition, attributed to damage by lightning strike, involving 31 cacao and about 200 inter-planted Leucaena leucocephala trees at two sites on a plantation in New Britain. Symptoms consisted of sudden partial or full defoliation and death of bark, followed by discolouration of wood inwards and downwards, resulting in death of branches and some trees. Recovery occurred in all but six cacao and several Leucaena trees left after sampling of partially damaged specimens.