Author: Matthew Ngui & Anastasha Junigo; Published Date: 16th August 2023
For the first time as a Borneo Forestry Cooperative (BFC) member, Sapulut Forest Development hosted the annual Pest and Disease Workshop on July 14, 2023, at the headquarters in Kota Kinabalu. The workshop primarily aimed to standardize pest and disease data collection for inventory programs. Dr Simon Lawson led the participants, comprising fellow colleagues from other member companies, Mr Paul Warburton, and representatives from the BASF company.
Collecting pest and disease data for inventory is the initial step toward establishing an economic threshold for various pests within our plantation area. This threshold is the population level of insects or the extent of tree damage at which the value of affected trees surpasses the cost of controlling the pests.
Dr Simon Lawson explained about inventory pest and disease data collection.
Standardizing the collected data allows us to correlate pest incidence and severity with financial metrics. When the economic threshold is reached, it becomes economically justifiable to implement control measures. Access to well-informed data enables us to eliminate the necessity for scheduled pesticide applications, opting instead to assess each plot on a case-by-case basis.
Mr Jino Albert, Research and Development Forester, presented slides on their pest and disease situations and trials.
Over time, this approach will reduce chemical usage and contribute to sustainable productivity in ITP (Industrial Tree Plantation).
Therefore, ensuring that data collected by all member companies is as standardized as possible is vital, facilitating the pooling of information for more informed decision-making.
Furthermore, representatives from each company showcased their respective pest and disease situations and trials through presentation slides. During this session, members were apprised of notable tree health issues.
Dr. Simon introduced several smartphone apps, including MyPestGuide Trees and KoboToolbox. These tools are helpful for impromptu recording of pests and diseases in the field, featuring geotagging and image tagging capabilities.
BASF company representatives also presented research findings on the efficacy of the chemical Alverde® in controlling leaf tiers. They also introduced a new pesticide product named Inscalis®, potentially suitable for Helopeltis sp. control.
In summary, the workshop achieved remarkable success. All member companies agreed on the essential pest incidence and severity data. The collected data will contribute to understanding the economic damage posed by various pests within our region.
