Summary:
- Rubber plantations in Kerala, India are facing a threat from a combination of a beetle and a fungus that is damaging the trees.
- The beetle, known as the Leucopholis coneophora, burrows into the bark of rubber trees, creating entry points for a fungus called Rigidoporus microporus to infect the trees.
- This beetle-fungus combo is causing significant damage to rubber plantations, leading to reduced latex production and potentially threatening the livelihoods of rubber farmers in the region.