Electron Microscopy of Flagellated Protozoa Associated with Marchitez Sorpresiva Disease of African Oil Palm in Ecuador

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Abstract
Mature sieve elements of oil palms [Elaeis guineensis] from Ecuador with marchitez sorpresivan (sudden wilt) disease contained uniflagellated protozoa that were classified in the genus Phytomonas of the family Trypanosomatidae. Phloem necrosis was not evident and distribution of the flagellates was uneven in diseased palms. Although the etiologic role of the protozoa was not determined, our study supports previous research hypothesizing that trypanosomatid protozoa are involved in the marchitez sorpresiva disease syndrome.