Field Maintenance Guidelines

For Mature Rubber Area

3. Panel Diseases Control

3.1 Introduction

In the past several years there has generally been an increase in stem
diseases largely due to the planting of high yielding rubber cultivars
regardless of their susceptibility to diseases. As a result several
modern clones, some recommended for planting, are highly
susceptible to one or other important stem diseases.

Some of the notable panel diseases known to day includes: Black

stripe, Mouldy rot, Brown Bast, Bark Necrosis, Stem die back, Pink
Disease and Patch Canker,

3.2 Black Stripe Disease

The causal organism for this disease is Phytopthora palmivora and
unless properly controlled, Black stripe will become a very serious
panel disease. It is entirely a disease of the tapping panel, and
tapping surface may become so badly injured and disfigured that the
renewed bark becomes difficult to tap.

Symptoms:

The early stage of the disease is characterized by the appearance of

fine, black vertical lines on the tapped bark just above the tapping cut.
These lines are first parallel to one another but as the disease
progresses they fuse and form a cankerous condition resulting in the
formation of large depressed areas in the cortex above the tapping
cut.

The disease will also extend into the untapped bark below the tapping
cut. The black lines are wood vessels that the pathogen has invaded
and along which it can grow under the virgin bark and renewing
tapping panel, producing splits and cankers in the overlying barks.
The cortex is destroyed down to the wood. New growth can take place
only from the edge of the wound, hence lesions become bordered by
swollen callus.

Methods of Control:

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Preventive measures consist of covering the renewing bark with 2%

Difolatan 4F solution in water or 1% solution of 80% WP after each
tapping until control is achieved.
If preventive measures have failed, infected trees should be
immediately taken out of tapping until wet weather has stopped, and
then diseased areas scraped back to healthy tissues, and disinfected
with Difolatan. The infected scrapings should be burned.

3.3 Mouldy Rot

Mouldy rot is a disease of a tapping panel which occurs in the wet
season; when present Mouldy rot can cause severe injury. It is more
prominent in areas where the atmosphere is continuously damp,
owing to close planting and density of undergrowths. The causal
fungus, Ceratocystis fimbriata, is unable to thrive in conditions of low
humidity, and the diseases usually disappear with the advent of dry
season.

Symptoms:

The disease first appears as dark depressed spots on the tapping

panel, from 0.25” to 1” above the tapping cut, which unite to form a
continuous sunken band parallel to the cut. The course of the disease
is rapid, and the sunken band becomes covered with a greyish
mycelium which is easily seen from a distance. In a few weeks after
infection the diseased tissues rot completely, exposing discolored
wood. An extensive wound, often resembling bad tapping, is the
result.

Method of Control.

Proper weeding will permit more air circulation, thus preventing the
necessary conditions of high humidity for the spread of this disease.
Cessation of tapping during periods when the disease is active gives
complete protection, as the fungus is only able to infect newly tapped
bark.

A change to third or fourth daily tapping reduces the incidence

considerably. (The temporary adoption of a 15 to 21 day periodic
system has even more effect, but this must be authorized by top
management).

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The disease is spread by insects and air currents, and once started is
also spread by tapper's knives and clothing. For this reason it is
essential that tappers are not alternated between infected and
uninfected tasks, and that their knives be immersed in a disinfectant
solution between trees (2% Formalin in water).
The superficial nature of the growth of this fungus makes the disease
amenable to treatment by fungicides, provided that a suitable
fungicide is applied systematically. A suitable aqueous fungicide is .02
% Benlate; up to 12 applications, made after each tapping, may be
required for control. Actidione 4, 2, 0.5% or Derosal 60 WP, 1% may
also be used.

3.4 Brown Bast

Brown Bast is a condition only of trees which have been over-tapped.

It is the expression of a derangement in the laticiferous system,
brought about by excessive exploitation.

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EXHIBIT 10:6:Typical
EXHIBIT TypicalSymptom
Symptom ofof
thethe
advanced stage
Advanced Stageof
of Brown Bast
Brown Bast disease.
Disease.
 Field Maintenance Guidelines
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Symptoms.

The first obvious symptoms are a reduction in yield and a drying-up of

a part or whole of the tapping cut. The affected cortex becomes
succulent and watery, and on scraping a dark discoloration is visible in
its inner layer.

The discoloration may be seen to extend downwards into the

untapped cortex and sometimes upwards into the renewing bark
above the cut. If the same intensity of tapping is maintained, the panel
may eventually dry up completely; the dry part of the bark dies, giving
rise to wound reactions leading to extremely rough and irregular wood
and bark formations.

Method of Control.

Preventive measures consist of planting clones that have been proved

to be not highly susceptible and of adopting a moderate tapping
system (67% intensity) on clones known to be susceptible.

Trees which show early signs of Brown Bast should continue to be

tapped regularly as the partially dry cut serves to reduce tapping
intensity and the damaged bark will gradually be cut away.

If the symptoms persist or become worst and there is evidence that

the disease is spreading, the extent of the damage should be
ascertained by pin pricks and an isolation groove, to the cambium and
should be around the dead bark. This dead bark should then be
scraped off nearly to the cambium to promote more rapid regeneration
of new bark. The tree should be rested for three months to permit the
build-up of food reserves to normal levels, after which tapping may be
resumed at a reduced intensity.

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This may be accomplished by marking the tree and reducing the

length of the cut to 1/3 S if it is being tapped ½ S d2, or by not
applying stimulant if it is on ½ S ,d/3.Stimulant should never be
applied to trees with any degree of Brown Bast.
If the panel dries right down to ground level and shows no sign of
recovery after rest, a new cut should be opened on the opposite side
of the tree at the time of normal panel changeover. If a tree becomes
totally untappable through Brown Bast, it should be removed to
eliminate a potential source of disease and to reduce the competition
for soil nutrients, water and sunlight.

3.5 Bark Necrosis

A necrosis on bark is different from the one on the panel. The term bark
necrosis is applied to a range of symptoms starting with degeneration of
the untapped bark anywhere over the trunk while panel necrosis is found
on the opened tapping cut and the panel guide lines.

Panel necrosis is frequently noticed in newly opened tree as well as on the

trees which have been in tapping for some time and also in spout wounds.
Newly opened panel B often suffers from Bark Necroses Both panel and
bark necrosis may be present at the same time on a single rubber tree.
Both usually occur during wet weather. And both, if not properly controlled,
may also lead to tree dryness and further disease development of ustulina
stem rot and borer beetles.

From a study carried out on the necrotic bark, species of Phytophtora,

Fusarium and Colletotrichum as well as some bacterias were found. No
conclusive evidence of any one of them being solely responsible for the
malady, however, has been determined.

Panel necrosis may be caused by Fusarium solani and/or Botryodiplodia

theobromae, because both fungi are common saprophytes on the bark.

Symptoms.

The symptoms noticed vary at different stages of the disease, often giving
the impression that more than one disease may be present. It starts in the

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inner bark tissues but close observation during wet weather or in the early
morning when the bark is still moist may reveal the outline of affected
patches externally. Cracks in the bark are then accompanied with light
bleeding, and often the trees have been gone dry already.
However, in most instances the lower part of the trunk below the tapping
cut is a site of infection, suggesting that the cut may be the starting point
which makes for confusion with panel necrosis.

When the upper part of the stem beyond the panel height is attacked, it
may appear to start from the fork and spread downwards spirally following
the latex vessels or go up from the tapping cut. The disease nevertheless,
can occur independently on the tapping cut or the fork anywhere on
untapped bark of the trunk right down to the collar.

Detection

Detection as early as possible is essential because the disease spreads

very rapidly under wet conditions, frequently in a spiral accompanying the
vascular system of the trunk in all directions, to cover a substantial portion
of the trunk in a few days.

A regular, periodical tree to tree inspection of each block in tapping must

therefore be organized in order to detect the infected trees as early as
possible. Tappers and tapping capataz should report BN in its earliest
stage.

A tree-to-tree inspection, however, will be a labor consuming operation.

Such an operation must depend partly on the tapper's daily observational
reports which must be made by them as an additional and compulsory
responsibility.

When such a report has been reviewed and confirmed by a special crew
which is assigned to the task, a treatment using the recommended
fungicides must be carried out at once.

In checking any trees under suspicion, a short metal scraper must be used
to scrape the outer bark, which if diseased, will reveal the spreading

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necrosis in the cortex. Scraping off the diseased part must be done lightly
so as not to destroy the cambium. In this case, a sharp and light scraper
must be used. The affected patches will show moist tissues with dirty
purplish red or reddish brown color.
Normally, dry weather conditions for few days will help the affected trees
heal by themselves as the dead cortex will gradually dry up and scale off,
followed by bark regeneration, and recovery of the tree.

On the other hand when the weather is wet, the conditions are favorable for
the disease to spread and if a tree remains too long without treatment the
cambium may be also affected resulting in profuse bleeding and large
wounds, and dry trees. Hence prompt treatment is important.

As soon as a block or an area within a block, has a substantial number of

infected trees, then all the trees in the areas must be sprayed promptly with
a mixture of 2% Difolatan and red dye. This will greatly assist in preventing
the spread of the disease. The tree is sprayed once only up to a height of
2.5 metres.

Treatment.

As soon as the disease is detected, the tree must be taken out of tapping,
according to the following criteria.

 When 25% of the tapping cut has become necrotic, the tree must rest
from tapping for two weeks.

 When a tapping cut shows 25% to 50% necrosis, the tree should be put
on rest for one full month.

 When there is 50% to 75% necrosis on the tapping cut, the tree must
rest for three months.

 When the necrosis has covered more than 75% of the tapping cut, the
tree must rest for six months.

 When the bark necrosis is found away above the tapping cuts, the trees
need not rest from tapping.

All infected patches of bark, and the surrounding healthy tissue must be
painted with a 4 % solution of Calixin in Palm Oil, plus red dye, and

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Thiodan 0.5% (other chemical fungicides which may have a good curative
effect on BN are Bayleton, Bayfidon and Derosal.

The mixture have to be applied promptly, with a paintbrush. Trees must be

marked with a large white X, (40 cms) plus the letters B.N., and the date.
After 30 days the mixture should be re-applied and continued at 30 day
intervals until the tree is healthy again and producing well. Basically 2 3
rounds should be sufficient.

In cases where infection has become severe, before detection, and the
bark is rotten, then the rotten bark must be removed and burned to ashes.
The resulting scraped area of the trunk will have Calixin and Thiodan
painted on, and then be sealed with grease, as soon as the panel is dry.

Preparation of Mixture

For 1 litre of solution, take 960 gram of Palm Oil and place in a container
and melt. After melting, add red dye and stir well. Add 40 cc of Calixin 75
EC and 7.5 cc Thiodan while stirring vigorously. This solution is then ready
to use. The mixture should be well mixed prior to use.

Secondary Problems

The bad odor of rotting bark will encourage borer beetles (Xyleborus spp)
to come. The borer beetles will eat up the wood part of the tree by drilling
holes or tunnels. The tunnels are also used to lay their eggs. When the
eggs have hatched, the larva will also become wood-eaters like the adults.
The adults are mobile insects, moving from one hole to another and in fact
from one tree to another tree.

The borer beetles besides destroying the wood as well as bark will also act
as a carrier of ustulina mycelium.

The mycelium which may stick to the thick and rough skin of borer beetles
may be carried over from one sick tree to infect another tree which has just
attacked by beetles, thus carrying the ustulina mycelium thru borer beetles.

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This is evident because in every hole drilled out the ustulina mycelium will
develop in the wood tissues around the holes. With the presence of
ustulina, the wood tissues will become rotten, making the plant more
susceptible to breakage during windstorm.

EXHIBIT11:
EXHIBIT 7: Stem
StemUstulina
Ustulina disease
Diseaseof
ofRubber
Rubber

Thus, as the population of borer beetles increases the possibility of a

spreading attack of ustulina exists. The affected area, when not properly
controlled, is often invaded by borer beetles. The fungus then penetrates
the wood right across the stem or main branches.

Thus, the appearance of the tree may cause confusion with ustulina
disease. Ustulina is confirmed when a number of fructifications develop on
it as plates, which later turn grey-black or charcoal and grow into a
contiguous sheet covering a large portion of the wound.

Points to Remember:

a.) Since wet weather will make conditions more favorable for the necrotic
infection to spread, the field must always be kept clean especially in the

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area where the outbreak of the disease is found, and checks for this
disease should be routinely made during the wet season.

b.) As a preventive measure, monthly tapping panel dressing using a

fungicidal formulation may be recommended where we get frequent
occurrence of Bark Necrosis. Preventive spraying of the panel is
necessary in attacked areas
c.) All wind snapped trunks and broken branches must be treated
immediately by cutting off the broken edges and applying grease to the
wound surface.

3.6 Stem Die Back

Die back is a term used to designate those disease characterized by a

progressive dying back of the young shoots. Generally they are caused by
fungi that penetrate the tender tissues; the progressive die back being
evidenced as the mycelium advances within.

The same fungi may also penetrate the “snags” of dead branches or of cut-
back grafts. Penetration of grafts at the union may also occur. This
condition is found more in transplanted buddings than in field budded
rootstocks.

The fungi known to be capable of producing die back are:

Botrydiplodia theobromae.
Gloeosporium spp.
Fusicladium spp.
Colletotrichum sp.
Phyllosticta sp.

It is difficult to determine the causal organism from visual inspection only,

particularly if the affected portions have been dead for some time. The
diseases are spread by wind blown spores. Clones, AVROS 2037 and GT-1
are both quite susceptible to die back, usually at about 3 - 5 years of age or
may even occur in mature rubber.

Symptoms

Top die back is easily observable. If the infection is terminal, there is a

progressive blackening and dying of the shoot downwards, which often

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ceases spontaneously, but may continue to the base of plant, killing it

completely.

In older trees dead branches or “stag heads” may be seen frequently on

the tops of the trees. These are old cases of die back which the tree has
been able to throw off spontaneously.
Method of Control

Top die back on young grafts may be treated successfully by pruning, the
cut being made one to two feet below the effected part, (mainly all stumps).

In the field the disease is generally found in patches, and early discovery
and treatment are essential for the spread of the disease to surrounding
trees may be rapid. Plants sometimes are killed to the ground within a
week, though others may resist the disease to such an extent as to recover
spontaneously before the disease has proceeded very far.

All pruning must be burned immediately to prevent dissemination of the

spores. Old trees possess more resistance, and the pruning of stag heads
is not worth the labor of reaching them.

The appearance of subsequent cases must be looked for in order to

prevent a recrudescence of the trouble. Spraying with a Berthoud sprayer
using Difolatan 1% controls die back but is not always feasible due to
terrain and constraints on the availability of equipment.

3.7 Pink Disease.

Pink disease, caused by the fungus Corticium salmonicolor, is typically a

disease of the trunk. It is found in most tropical regions on a wide variety of
plants, both wild and cultivated.

Symptoms

The disease usually appears at or near the forks of the branches as a white
or pink encrustation of interwoven mycelium, generally encircling the
branch.

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Extended periods of wet weather appear to be necessary for development

of the disease, and consequently under local condition its appearance is
noted almost entirely at the end of the wet season.

By this time the fungus penetrates the cortical tissues to such an extent
that the food supply of the branch is cut off and it dies.
It is at this time that the disease becomes very noticeable, because the
contrast of the branch with its dead leaves against the healthy green of the
rest of the tree attracts attention.

Sometimes the fungus is located at the origin of the main branches, in

which case the whole crown dies.

With the advent of the dry season, the bark killed by the fungus breaks
open, becoming dark in color. The fungus by this time has produced
spores, which remain dormant until moist conditions prevail, when activity
may be renewed. New shoots are produced on the stem, below the
attacked area.

Frequently, exudation of latex may be observed during the active stage of

the disease.

Method of Control

The essential factor in preventive measures is the reduction of inoculum,

that is, the amount of spores which may be blown about by the wind. This
requires detection of the disease in its early stages.

During wet weather, weekly detection rounds must be made on all

immature rubber between 2 - 5 years of age. In older rubber, detection
should also be weekly, when there is evidence of a severe attack of pink
disease. Dead crowns are a sign of total failure to control the disease.

If the fungus has not girdled the branch but extends over a small area of
bark only, it may be possible to save the branch as a whole by scraping the
diseased portion away and immediately painting or spraying the resulting
wound with Calixin 2% RM.

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All diseased material removed should be burned. Very often it will be found
that the branch has been completely girdled before detection. In this case
the only treatment is immediate pruning of the diseased branch at least one
foot below the lowest visible sign of the fungus. Calixin RM should then be
applied to the diseased stem section to prevent the further spread of
inoculum.
Pruning of the new shoots to leave the strongest one will be necessary
later. All pruned surfaces should be painted with coaltar and diseased
branches burned as soon as possible.

EXHIBIT
EXHIBIT12:
8:Stem
StemBleeding
BleedingDisease
Diseaseofof
Rubber
Rubber

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3.8 Patch Canker.

This disease, associated with species of Phytophtora and Pythium is

widespread on all plantations and may be particularly prevalent on the
budded areas in tapping. The disease may occur anywhere on the stem,
but is generally confined to the panel and basal area where mechanical
wounding by spouts, hanger wires or seeding tolls is likely to occur.
Symptoms

Frequently the first obviously visible sign of the disease is the appearance
of a group of small holes in the black. These are made by small borers
attracted by the diseased tissues.

The bark over the diseased patch breaks open, exposing cortex of a
reddish brown color. This color changes to black when exposed to air.

Extension of the diseased area depends upon moisture conditions; it may

be rapid during the wet season, when old patches may be seen surrounded
by a developing callus with an area of exposed wood in the center.

On examining patches which are still active, plugs of coagulated latex may
be found. Unless appropriate treatment is applied, diseased patches may
continue to widen over a considerable area, especially during wet periods.
After a period of quiescence during the dry season, they may start into
activity again with the onset of the rains.

Method of Control

All disease tissues, recognized by their discoloration, should be excised

until the patch is completely surrounded by healthy tissues.

This can be ensured by continuing the excision until minute drops of latex
exude from the surrounding cortex; the diseased cortex will yield no latex.

Excision should then be continued until the area is completely surrounded

by one inch of healthy bark. All scrapings should be carefully collected in a
container and burned to ashes.

3.9 Reports and Records.

Capataz Report

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The capataz of each disease control gang will submit a daily report to the
Assistant, showing the number of trees inspected and treated.

Assistant's Monthly Disease Report

A monthly report, which is compiled from the capataz's daily report, will be
submitted to the Field Manager.
Disease Control Gangs

Labor

Each year sufficient labor should be budgeted to carry out disease control
measures. Estimates of labor required are the responsibility of the
Production Manager, together with his Assistants.

3.10 Equipment.

Disease control gangs should be equipped with the utensils necessary to

carry out various control measures. Such equipment will normally
comprise: Scraping tools, knives, pruning saws, sprayers, dusters, etc.

Safety equipment such as gloves, safety glasses are strongly

recommended where toxic chemicals are being used.

3.11Marking Treated Trees.

All treated trees will be painted with suggested marks, as follows:

Fomes RL (Coaltar)
Phellinus Pn (Coaltar)
Ganoderma Gp (Coaltar)
Ustulina Uz (Coaltar)
Pink Disease Pd (Coaltar)
Bark Necrosis X (White Paint)
Dryness red x, xx, xxx, xxxx, on panel (Coaltar)
Wind snap date (6 months after)
Brown Bast Large X (Coaltar)
Girthing G (immature rubber only - Colored Paint)

Scrape off old markings once the tree has recovered from the disease.

Mouldy Rot MR

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Black Stripe BS
Lump Canker LC Coaltar Date
Die Back DB Coaltar Date of cut back

Once a tree has recovered from the disease which affected it, it will marked
with the letter “R” and the date.

This should be done for every one of the above disease.

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