WORKSHOP ON MITIGATION OF SOUTH AMERICAN LEAF BLIGHT (SALB) OF RUBBER IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

SALB is the most destructive disease of rubber and presently the disease only present in American Tropic. The available control measures fail to curtain the disease and cause losses up to 90% of the potential yield. Due to the increase in trade and easy transcontinental air travel, the potential incursion of SALB to the Asia rubber growing countries is becoming higher. Realizing the potential, APPPC secretariat with the cooperation of the working group on SALB had organized several workshops and publish 3 important publications in supporting capacity building for members to prevent the entry of SALB into this region. The latest workshop on the mitigation of SALB of rubber in Asia Pacific - present and future was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia focus on the concern of importing non-rubber products as pathways. The workshop discussed on the potential of using pest free production area as quarantine mitigation for these non-rubber products. Several ISPMs related to the PFA was presented and breakout groups to discuss on how PFA could be implemented. The detail report on the results of the workshop as attach.