In recent months many plantation owners have reported the presence of disease in the acacia plantations which, it has been identified, is caused by a leaf fungus, Ceratocystis manginecans. Source: ITTO Tropical Timber Market
The Vietnam Academy of Forest Science (VAFS) has warned this fungus, if not checked, could damage all acacia species planted in Vietnam, including acacia mangium, acacia hybrid, acacia auricuriformis and acacia crasicarpa.
The Academy noted the damage caused to acacia plantations in Indonesia and along with the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) is urging local authorities to take immediate action to treat infected acacia plantations.
VNFOREST has reported on the current outbreak specifically mentioning the infection in Tuyen Quang, where almost 100 ha of plantations (2019 planting) have withered and the infection rate is over 70%. VNFOREST has recommended clearing and replanting.
Tuyen Quang is not the only place experiencing infection as the disease is scattered in many places but there are no statistics on the extent of damage.
In long term, developing disease-tolerant varieties of acacia and diversification of planting species rather than acacia alone are seen as possible solutions.
