Drones deployed in Tripura rubber plantations to tackle fungal outbreak

For the first time in Tripura, drones are being used to spray fungicides on rubber plantations to contain a large-scale outbreak of phytophthora, a fungal infection threatening rubber production in the state.

The pilot operation was carried out at the Rubber Board’s Taranagar farm in West Tripura after the disease spread across three major rubber-growing districts—Gomati, Sepahijala and West Tripura. Phytophthora causes premature leaf fall and disrupts latex flow, leading to significant crop loss.

“Since drones were not available locally, they had to be transported all the way from Coimbatore—over 2,400 km by road—to Agartala, reflecting the urgency and commitment behind this initiative,” the Rubber Board of India said in a social media post.

The Board added that the operation was made possible through the combined efforts of its officials, scientists, staff, and local growers. “With this milestone, advanced technology has reached growers' fields in the Northeast region, ushering in a new era of precision and efficiency in plant protection,” it said.

Joint Rubber Production Commissioner N. Sali told PTI, “Around 2000 hectares of rubber plantation in three districts- Gomati, Sepahijala and West Tripura were affected by the fungal infection. The spraying of fungicides through drones will be in full swing even as reports of decline in fungal infection. This will be done free of cost.”

According to him, this year’s unusual weather pattern—prolonged rainfall followed by heat and humidity—triggered the outbreak.

The initiative came after the All Tripura Krishak Sabha, led by its secretary Pabitra Kar, met the commissioner on August 30 seeking immediate steps to save plantations. Officials later confirmed the infection as phytophthora.

Tripura is India’s second-largest producer of natural rubber after Kerala, with more than 1.1 lakh hectares under cultivation and an annual production of about 1.1 lakh metric tonnes.