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Rubber Board’s Executive Director K.N.Raghavan has inaugurated the international workshop on ‘New Colletotrichum Circular Leaf Spot Disease Identification and Management’ at Rubber Research Institute of India. on Wednesday
In his inaugural address, Raghavan said that with climate change affecting rubber plantations across the world, exchange of ideas are important to keep the information moving across various channels so that rubber farmers are able to function in a disease free environment.
He hoped that the five-day workshop would enablescientists exchange ideas. He also hailed the proactive role played by the Pathology Division of RRII in checking the spread of Colletotrichum Circular Leaf Spot Disease. A rubber tree comes to maturity after a prolonged immaturity period, and since prices keep fluctuating, the farmers must ensure that diseases do not hinder on obtaining better yield and returns, he added.
The objective of the five-day workshop, organized in collaboration with the International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB), is to equip scientists and officials working in the estate and extension sector with the necessary skills and know-how to stop the outbreak of the disease.
Delegates from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are attending the workshop.
Circular leaf spot is a disease that affects rubber trees during monsoon periods. This disease is noticed during the months of April-May to November. The experiments conducted by the Indian Rubber Research Institute found that the disease is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum. The symptoms of this disease are similar to the one that caused widespread leaf fall in countries like Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand.
The new leaves emerge on the trees after the natural defoliation; attain maturity during April-May. If infected, the leaves would turn pink and will fall off. The infection is seen till November. The disease is noticed in all the clones recommended by the Rubber Board for field planting. The timely application of recommended fungicides can effectively control the disease.
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