A revolutionary technology developed by the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) can transform the way teak plantations are protected from their most notorious pest – the teak defoliator moth (Hyblaea puera). The institute has successfully identified, mass-produced and patented a naturally occurring virus, Hyblaea puera Nucleopolyhedrosis Virus (HpNPV), which causes lethal infection in the pest larvae and prevents widespread defoliation of teak trees.
For decades, the teak defoliator has wreaked havoc in plantations, stripping entire forests of their foliage up to six times a year, weakening trees and causing significant loss in timber yield. “When the larvae attack, the tree spends its energy regenerating leaves instead of growing. It’s a huge invisible loss,” explains T.V. Sajeev, Principal Scientist at KFRI.
