SRI LANKA TO UPROOT OR BUD DISEASED RUBBER TREES
Sri Lanka will uproot rubber trees that
are more than two years old and affected by the leaf disease
corynespora, the head of the government's Rubber Research
Institute told Reuters.
    Rodney De Mel said affected trees less than two years old
would undergo base-budding -- attaching a clone as close as
possible to the trunk's base and cutting off the top of the
tree once the bud has taken. Uprooted or base-budded trees
mature later, causing an output loss estimated at 350 kilos per
hectare from the sixth year when they begin producing.
    About 7,000 acres are planted with the high yielding RIC
103 variety, the clone afflicted by corynespora.
    Only about 2,000 acres are affected by the disease, which
causes leaves to fall off, De Mel said.
    Sri Lanka has 508,000 acres planted with rubber trees.
    De Mel said the disease was detected in nurseries as early
as in middle 1985, but it was only in August-September 1986
that it became widespread.
    The Institute is conducting a survey to determine how many
trees will be uprooted or base-budded. Healthy trees will be
sprayed and remain under observation.
    T.P. Lilaratne, head of the government's Rubber Controller
Department, which monitors the industry, told Reuters
replanting and base-budding would have to be undertaken before
late May when the monsoon rains begin.
    De Mel said clones in the nurseries which are susceptible
to corynespora, identified as RIC 103, RIC 52, RIC 104, RIC
106, RIC 107 and RIC 118, will be uprooted and burned.
    The same procedures will be undertaken for the foreign
clones indentified as NAB 12, RRIM 725, FX25, PPN 2444, PPN
2447, KRS 21 and PPN 2058.
    Lilaratne said the susceptible clones would be replaced by
PB 86, RRIM 600, RRIC 110, RRIC 121, RIC 100 and RIC 102.
    These six varieties would also be used to replace trees
uprooted or base-budded, De Mel said.
    Lilaratne said planters would receive 10,000 rupees per
hectare for replanting and plants would be free of charge.
    "But no compensation is contemplated at the moment," he
added.
    De Mel said a drought in Sri Lanka has helped control the
spread of the disease.
    "The drought has not stopped the disease, but probably
helped in some way because trees have not been affected in
areas that are dry," he said.
    Brokers said the disease had not affected prices because it
has not caused a drop in production.
    Prices for the best latex crepe at the Colombo auction last
week firmed to 20.19 rupees per kilo from 20.05 rupees at the
previous sale.
 REUTER
