The Rubber Board has ruled out any cause for alarm over incidents of powdery mildew and corynespora, both leaf-fall diseases, this season as favourable conditions have helped rubber plants nearly escape the yearly cycle of mildew attacks.
Responding to reports that farmers in the upper reaches of Kothamangalam such as Neryamangalam and Adimali were seeing serious incidence of leaf-fall with extreme temperature differences between early morning hours and day time, board sources say the December-February period is re-foliage period when new leaves are generated.
The traditional rubber areas such as Travancore, Malabar, and areas around Kothamangalam are witness to attacks of powdery mildew as well as corynespora during the season. However, powdery mildew has almost been out of the picture this season because of the heavy rains in the latter part of the year. Powdery mildew can cause yield reduction and corynespora disease in immature plantations cause delay in maturing of the rubber trees.
