Part 6/16:
One of Singapore’s most significant challenges has been the outbreak of diseases affecting the Angsana trees (or Sananas), particularly from the late 1960s onwards. During rapid urban expansion, more than 20,000 these trees were planted, but many succumbed unexpectedly to a disease characterized by leaf wilting, browning trunk streaks, and sudden die-offs. Initially puzzling to researchers, it was later discovered that fungal pathogens—notably Fusarium oxysporum and Physi-solenoid*—were the primary culprits.