Kozhikode, Aug 10 - By driving in two rusted nails at the base of each tree, a Kerala farmer has managed to save his arecanut trees from a fungal infection that causes leaves to turn yellow and kills the tree.

While T. Benny's three-acre arecanut farm at Thiruvambadi near here is flourishing, his neighbours' trees are on the verge of dying due to the dreaded yellow leaf disease called 'mahali'.

'I heard from a friend that driving rusted nails into the tree close to the roots prevents the disease. So nine months back I decided to experiment with it. The normal practice of applying a mixture of copper sulphate and lime to prevent yellowing is done in June and 40 days later a second application is done. But I did not do it because I had driven in the rusted nails. My arecanut trees are fine,' said Benny.

'If Benny's claims are true, then it could be tried elsewhere also. I will ask a team of agricultural experts from the Kerala Agriculture University to visit the farm and submit a detailed report,' Agriculture Minister Mulakara Ratnakara told IANS.

Arecanut farmers, mostly in north Kerala, have been battling this dreaded disease which finishes off the trees in a short time after the yellowing first appears.