Yokohama outlines findings of five-year NR tree disease study

Hiratsuka, Japan – Yokohama Rubber Co (YRC) has released the findings of a five-year research programme to “develop technologies to prevent and control rubber tree leaf-fall disease.”

In a 9 Dec event at Universitas Indonesia, YRC and its partners* discussed the topics and activities carried out as part of the research, including the development of a candidate chemical for a pesticide against rubber tree leaf-fall disease.

The study, conducted between 2020 and 2025, also covered the development of a novel microbial biofungicide for rubber tree leaf-fall disease, as well as the creation of clones resistant to the condition.

The research team also investigated a system using satellite and drone data to detect areas infected by rubber tree leaf-fall disease.

Furthermore, it studied “next-generation technology” for the prevention and control of rubber tree leaf-fall disease in Indonesia and the establishment of social infrastructure for its control.

According to YRC, leaf-fall disease has become widespread, especially in Indonesia, in recent years, causing serious damage to rubber production.

The research aimed to “stabilise production for smallholders”, through a “multifaceted approach.”

One particular example, YRC said, is the study of the effect of pesticides selected through a screening process on the quality of natural rubber, which has been underway since 2024.

Field evaluations on large plantations have confirmed that properly applied pesticides do not negatively affect rubber’s properties or the properties of vulcanised rubber, said YRC.

The Japanese group is now cooperating in a survey to determine how the smallholders targeted by this research may be affected.

*Indonesian Rubber Research Institute, Universitas Indonesia, Japan's RIKEN centre for sustainable resource science, Gifu University, RIKEN centre for advanced photonics (RAP), Maebashi Institute of Technology, Yokohama City University