Koa wilt there are no local hosts, it is suggested that one plant seeds from several different sources in the hope of finding a resistant tree. Currently, research about Koa wilt is focused primarily on determining resistant Koa varieties. Koa is a commodity, a dominant native forest species, and an important element of Hawaiian culture. Koa is highly prized hardwood that can sell for prices as high as $150 a board foot, a special measurement indicating one-foot by one-foot by one-inch wood piece. Koa is currently being grown on plantations to support this high demand, yet some plantations have a 90% tree
Koa wilt to the Hawaiian islands. It ranges in size from 15 to greater than 50 feet with a canopy spread of 20 to 40 feet. It has a showy white flower and blooms sporadically. Mature leaves are sickle shaped. Koa wilt is typically a fatal pathogen for its host. In only a few months, a tree may lose its entire canopy and die. Trees less than fifteen years old are typically the most susceptible. Symptoms include stains in cambium, roots, and sapwood as well as chlorosis (yellowing), canopy dieback, brown and wilted leaves, oozing sap, and bark cankers. The Koa wilt