Sandalwood in Kerala's famous Marayoor forests is facing a serious threat from the deadly Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD), which leads to mortality of trees due to changes in the physiology of the species, the state government said on Tuesday, May 17. State Forest Minister AK Saseendran visited the Marayoor Sandalwood Reserve in Idukki district and directed the officials to take measures to prevent the spread of the disease in the sandalwood for which no treatment is available.

Cutting down the infected trees is currently the only option to contain the spread of the disease, which is the most destructive of known diseases to infect sandalwood in the country, the minister told reporters. The government is reportedly planning to cut 2,000 trees infected by the disease to prevent its spread. “Though SSD is an infection that has been affecting the trees here for the past 40 years, the number of trees getting damaged has increased in the past two years. The disease is caused by phytoplasma - bacterial parasites of plant tissues - which are transmitted by insect vectors,” he stated.

The minister, after holding a meeting with the Forest officials, said that the disease is spreading fast and it could have been contained if the infected trees were cut in the last two years. He said the spread of the disease can be arrested only if its source is identified.

Marayoor, in the Western Ghats, contains a number of sandalwood forests and is known for its high-quality sandalwood. It is the only place in Kerala where natural sandalwood forests are present.