• The first symptom is the appearance of water-soaked brown lesions in the spear leaves of root-wilt affected palms.
• Gradually these spots enlarge and coalesce resulting in extensive rotting.
• As the leaf unfurls the rotten portions of the lamina dry and get blown off in wind, giving a "fan" shape to the leaves.
• Sometimes, the symptom becomes very acute and the spear fails to unfurl.

• Remove the rotten portions from the spear and the two adjacent leaves.

Chemical method

• Pour fungicide solution of Hexaconazole - 2ml or Mancozeb - 3g in 300ml water per palm to the base of spindle leaf. 2-3 rounds of spraying are sufficient in case of mild infection.
• Spray the crowns and leaves with 1% Bordeaux mixture or 0.5% copper oxychloride formulations or 0.4% mancozeb in January, April-May and September. While spraying, care has to be taken to spray the spindle leaf.