ITTO-BMLEH webinar delves into pest management methods to improve teak production
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The successful control of major pests that plague teak plantations and natural teak forests is crucial to reducing economic losses and improving production, especially among smallholders. © ITTO
The successful control of major pests that plague teak plantations and natural teak forests is crucial to reducing economic losses and improving production, especially among smallholders. Experts working to understand the science behind insect pest infestations in teak shared during a webinar how research and innovation are contributing to the development of more effective and sustainable mechanisms to manage teak-associated pests in India and Myanmar.
The webinar, titled “Pest Insects in Teak Plantations and Natural Teak Forests” and held on 9 July 2026, is the ninth iteration in a series of 12 webinars jointly organized by the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Germany’s Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Regional Identity (BMLEH). It featured discussions from Dr T.V. Sajeev from India and Dr Zar Chi Hlaing from Myanmar, with Professor Yongyut Trisurat of Kasetsart University in Thailand moderating the discussion.
The webinar is part of an ITTO-led project that aims to enhance the production of high-quality timber from teak and other valuable species plantations managed by smallholders and forest-dependent communities in the Asia-Pacific region and West Africa.
In his opening message, Dr Tetra Yanuariadi, ITTO Projects Manager, stated that apart from poor planting stock quality, inadequate silvicultural practices, and weak marketing and value chains, insect pests represent a primary challenge to teak productivity. This is especially true in monoculture plantations in Thailand, Myanmar, India, and Lao PDR, where teak is an economically valuable native species.
Four major pests afflict teak forests in Kerala, India. A presentation by Dr T.V. Sajeev discussed management methods employed to control their populations and prevent spread. © PK Thulasidas
Managing pest insects in teak plantations: Insights from Kerala, India
Dr Sajeev, Chief Scientist at the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment of India’s Kerala Forest Research Institute, discussed the four major pests associated with teak in the forests of Kerala in southern India and the management methods employed to control their population and prevent further spread.
Teak skeletonizer (Eutectona machaeralis), a type of moth that feeds on teak leaves except for the veins, does not require any management, Dr. Sajeev explained. This is because the insect feeds on the leaf just before leaf fall occurs and consequently poses no significant economic repercussions on teak productivity.
In the case of teak sapling borers (Alcterogystia cadambae Moore), which bore into the stems of teak, spot application of an insecticide called Chlorpyriphos is used to control infestation. Meanwhile, no control methods are applied for teak trunk borers (Cossus cadambae Moore) since their larvae are embedded in the trunk and are thus inaccessible for any kind of application. Teak trunk borers also do not have natural predators.
According to Dr. Sajeev, teak defoliators (Hyblaea puera Cramer) pose the most serious threat to teak plantations. These small moths feed on teak foliage for a period of two weeks, at least three to six times before natural defoliation. Teak plantations that are three to nine years old could incur damages of up to 3 m3 of timber per hectare per year, equivalent to 75,000 rupees (~USD 780) per hectare per year.
Dr Sajeev said that teak defoliators are managed using the nuclear polyhedrosis virus, a biological pesticide that effectively targets this species of insect, particularly and can be both transmitted across the same generation and passed on from parent to offspring via the egg.
According to Dr Sajeev, it is important to acknowledge that “pests are made, not born.” He pointed out that teak in natural forests do not often experience pest problems, and when they do, these are often very sporadic and subside eventually. In monocultures such as teak plantations, however, pest infestations can be a major factor affecting productivity. In India, for instance, teak plantations experience regular annual teak defoliator outbreaks.
Dr Sajeev concluded his discussion by emphasizing maximizing natural remedies to pest infestation. “To manage pests, we need to work with nature, not against it,” he said.
Teak, which is a highly prized construction material and multipurpose timber species, has been an economically important forest product in Myanmar since the British colonization of the country. © Matthew Williams-Ellis Travel Photography/Pond5
Closing the information gap on teak-associated pests in Myanmar
Dr Hlaing, who serves as Assistant Director at the Forestry Research Institute of Myanmar’s Forestry Department, discussed the results of their initiative to systematically document the insect pests that affect teak plantations, as well as their natural enemies, in Bago Region, Myanmar.
Teak, which is a highly prized construction material and multipurpose timber species, has been an economically important forest product in Myanmar since the British colonization of the country, according to Dr. Hlaing. Despite the significance of teak, information gaps concerning insect pests infesting teak and the occurrence of their natural enemies remain.
The ongoing study by Dr. Hlaing and colleagues aim to fill these gaps by determining the major insect pests found in young and old teak plantations in Bago region and formulating effective control measures for these pests.
The study recorded a total of 46 insect pest species during the rainy season, as well as 19 species of natural enemies of these insect pests. Damages from teak defoliators and teak skeletonizers were highly observed in the study sites, according to Dr. Hlaing. The three dominant pests identified in the study are teak defoliators, teak skeletonizers, and red borers (Zeuzera coffeae).
The ongoing study investigates the various control measures that can be applied, including the use of integrated pest and disease management (IPDM). IPDM combines various strategies such as mechanical, biological, and chemical controls to prevent and stem the spread of pests and diseases affecting teak.
In closing, Dr Hlaing said that the study findings could benefit cultivators by providing them with relevant information on insect pests affecting teak and the necessary control measures that can be applied to ensure the sustainability of teak production in the future.
Adopting a sustainable and nature-based approach to addressing teak-associated pests not only ensures that economic benefits are continuously enjoyed by smallholders but also prevents generating greater problems by minimizing the undue harm to the environment. © ITTO
A sustainable and nature-based approach to combating teak pests
Improving the production of high-quality timber from teak necessarily entails addressing the perennial problem of pest infestation that considerably reduces both the quality and quantity of harvested timber. The presentations by Dr. Sajeev and Dr. Hlaing demonstrate that rigorous scientific inquiries into solving this challenge can yield effective and evidence-based results.
Both speakers emphasized the importance of foregrounding solutions that already exist in or can be derived from nature, such as applying biopesticides and utilizing the natural enemies of pests. Adopting a sustainable and nature-based approach to addressing teak-associated pests not only ensures that economic benefits are continuously enjoyed by smallholders but also prevents generating greater problems by minimizing the undue harm to the environment.
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