Hyderabad, Dec. 14 -- The Forest College and Research Institute (FCRI), Mulugu, has initiated a comprehensive scientific investigation into the alarming dieback of neem trees reported across Hyderabad and several districts of Telangana.
The move comes amid growing public concern over widespread symptoms such as drying branches, thinning foliage and canopy loss in neem, a tree of immense ecological, medicinal and cultural importance, a FCRI statement said on Sunday.
FCRI's studies have identified the fungal pathogen Phomopsis azadirachtae as the primary cause of the disease. Pilot treatment trials conducted by the institute showed significant recovery in affected trees when timely intervention was undertaken.
Based on these findings, FCRI...