Sumatra Disease of Cloves in Indonesia

Since the early 1960s, an apparently infectious disease of cloves has been spreading throughout W. Sumatra, one of the main clove producing areas of Indonesia. Preliminary field investigations were carried out in 1973, with a view to characterising the disease and attempts were made to isolate possible pathogenic organisms. Unfavourable soil and cultural conditions predispose trees to severe attack and present control is limited to correcting these factors.