Abstract
When asked by the Department of Homeland Security to create potential terrorism scenarios, even “Out of the Box Thinkers” initially failed to come up with the following scenario. Oil tankers, refineries, nuclear plants, etc., are obvious potential terrorists’ targets, and adequate measures are being taken to protect them. However, what if the target were to be a non-food commodity product, such as natural rubber tree plantations located in places as remote as southeast Asian countries like Thailand or Indonesia? Would it be of concern? At first thought “maybe not”, but think again. What could the release of a deadly microorganism (fungus/virus/bacteria) in a rubber tree plantation in Indonesia, Malaysia or Thailand possibly mean to you or the world economy?
Highlights
Natural Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is native to the Amazon Rainforest
Imagine for a moment, a terrorist act involving the release of Microcyclus spores in a H. brasiliensis plantation in Thailand or Indonesia where 80% of the world rubber is produced! The pathogen can be isolated from infected rubber trees in Brazil and transported undetected across borders
An uncontrolled infestation on the other end would result in trees dieback and concomitant loss of vast plantations, which will directly affect the livelihood of hundreds of smallholders and indirectly decimate the natural rubber industry
Summary
Natural Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is native to the Amazon Rainforest. Initially, the Northeast of Brazil was the only habitat in the world where H. brasiliensis could be found. Rubber plantations in Asia outproduced Brazil and the production center was shifted from South America to Southeast Asia [1]. The blight managed to take over the entire South American continent and decimated most rubber tree plantations in the region [3].
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