Some people have equated the hydrocarbons of latex with petroleum. Rubber is often planted at wide spacing, intercropped with coffee or cocoa. On small holdings, intercropping is often practiced, but annuals should be more than a meter away, bananas more than 2 m. Five may be a reasonable assumption. It is also attacked by Bacterium albilineans, and parasitized by Loranthus spp.
White ants cause serious damage to trees at all ages.
Snails can be serious pests to young trees. The Hevea tree is subject to many types of diseases that must be controlled for economic production. Three types of root disease, classified as white, red, and brown, are controlled by cutting away diseased tissue and applying prophylactic coatings. Panel diseases, classified as black stripe, moldy rot, and panel necrosis, are minimized by spraying or coating specific fungicides. Stem disease, consisting of pink disease, stem canker, and dieback is reduced by brushing on specific fungicides.