Control of Black Stripe Disease of Rubber

Abstract

Black Stripe is a disease of the tapping panels of rubber trees caused by the fungus Phytophthora palmivora but P. botryose seems to be the responsible pathogen in Thailand. The current state of knowledge of the disease in all its aspects including measures to control it has been reviewed by Schreurs (3) The disease is characterized by black stripes of necrotic tissue in the cambium of recently tapped bark and also by bark lesions. In severe cases, wood is exposed thus ending the productive life of that part of the panel; in less severe cases the regeneration of the bark is uneven and future tapping is difficult. The fungus enters through wounds of the phloem; tapping itself is a wounding operation and the soft exposed tissues are very susceptible to invasion in the first 48 hours after tapping.