Date Palm Diseases: Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment
HESHAM MAHMOUD
HESHAM MAHMOUD
10 November 2026

Date palm diseases are less common than palm pests, but some of them, if neglected, can cost a whole season or kill the palm. The problem is that many symptoms look alike: yellowing, black spots, rotting spathes or heart rot, and you can only treat them properly once you know the cause.

This guide explains the most common fungal diseases of date palms, how to recognise each one, and how to prevent and treat them, with links to our key palm pest articles.

Inflorescence rot (khamedj)

One of the most important palm diseases in our region; it attacks the spathe before it splits.

  • Symptoms: brown patches on the outside of the closed spathe; when it opens, the strands and flowers are rotten and destroyed, wholly or partly.
  • When it spreads: humidity and rain when spathes emerge, and in neglected farms.

Prevention and treatment:

  • Cut out infected spathes and burn them away from the farm.
  • Clean the palm crown of old spathe remains and frond bases after harvest.
  • Spray the crown with a copper or suitable fungicide after harvest, and again before spathes emerge.

Graphiola leaf spot (false smut)

  • Symptoms: small yellow-to-black pustules on the leaflets, especially older fronds, with yellowing and early drying.
  • When it spreads: high humidity, coastal farms and dense planting.

Prevention and treatment:

  • Remove heavily infected fronds and burn them.
  • Improve ventilation and spacing between palms.
  • Spray a copper fungicide or another suitable fungicide on the fronds.

Black scorch (Thielaviopsis)

  • Symptoms: black, burnt-looking lesions on fronds and midribs, black rot in the heart or spathes and, in severe cases, the heart bends and new growth is deformed.
  • Cause: a fungus that enters through wounds and pruning cuts, made worse by drought or overwatering.

Prevention and treatment:

  • Remove infected tissue and burn it.
  • Paint or spray wounds with a fungicide after pruning.
  • Steady irrigation and fertilising to keep the palm strong.

Diplodia disease

  • Symptoms: brown streaks along the frond bases extending upwards and death of inner fronds; it hits offshoots especially hard and can kill them.

Prevention and treatment:

  • Dip offshoots in a fungicide before planting.
  • Disinfect tools used for separating offshoots and pruning.
  • Remove infected fronds and spray a suitable fungicide.

Root rot and palm decline

  • Symptoms: general yellowing and weakness, fronds drying from the bottom up and brown, rotten roots.
  • Cause: overwatering, poor drainage and a high water table, or salinity.
  • Prevention and treatment: correct irrigation and drainage, treat the soil around the roots with a suitable fungicide and tackle salinity with agricultural gypsum. See our root rot article.

Bayoud disease

A very serious fungal disease found in North Africa that causes one-sided frond wilting and death of the palm. This is why it is important to buy offshoots from a trusted, known source, follow agricultural quarantine rules and never move offshoots from infected areas.

Palm pests often mistaken for disease

Many palm problems are caused by insects, not disease. The most important are:

  • Red palm weevil: brown ooze from the trunk, holes and chewing sounds inside. See our red palm weevil article.
  • Dubas bug: sticky honeydew on fronds with black sooty mould growing on it. See our dubas bug article.
  • Date palm dust mite: webbing and dust on bunches, with dry cracked fruit. See our palm mite article.
  • Date moth: fruit drop and holes in the fruit. See our date moth article.
  • Palm stem borer: holes and frass in the trunk and frond bases. See our palm borer article.

For a full guide to the insects, see our palm pests article.

General tips for preventing palm diseases

  1. Clean the palm crown after harvest, removing old spathes and frond bases.
  2. Burn infected parts rather than leaving them on the farm.
  3. Disinfect pruning tools between palms.
  4. Spray the crown preventively after harvest and before spathes emerge.
  5. Balanced irrigation, avoiding both waterlogging and drought.
  6. Balanced fertilising to strengthen the palm. See our date palm fertiliser article.
  7. Healthy offshoots from a trusted source.

Products from Orkida

Date palm disease FAQs

Why do my palm's spathes come out rotten?

Usually inflorescence rot, especially with humidity or rain when spathes emerge. Cut out infected spathes and spray the crown preventively after harvest and before the season.

What causes black spots on palm fronds?

It may be Graphiola leaf spot if they are small pustules on older leaflets, black scorch if they are large burnt lesions, or sooty mould growing on dubas bug honeydew.

Do palm diseases spread between palms?

Yes. Most spread through spores carried by air, water and pruning tools, so disinfecting tools and burning infected parts is essential.

When should I spray palms preventively?

The two key times are straight after harvest and before spathes emerge at the end of winter.

Read also