Climate change affects growth and fungal diseases of oil palms

Abstract

Oil palms are one of the most important tropical crops. The plant is grown in Malaysia and Indonesia predominantly to produce palm oil used in cooking, in many supermarket products, and as biodiesel. Other countries in SE Asia, Africa and Latin America also produce palm oil but to a lesser extent. Furthermore, the most severe fungal disease of oil palms is caused by Ganoderma Boninense in SE Asia and other fungal diseases exist in various other parts of the world, such as that caused by Fusarium Oxysporum f.sp. Elaeidis. The modes of attack are different between the two species: The disease is largely by biodegradation of polymers, such as cellulose and lignin, in oil palm by G. boninense leading to collapse of the plant, although more research is required in this area. Disease is by metabolism of pectin leading to gel formation, which in turn causes vascular occlusion in the case of F. Oxysporum f.sp. Elaeidis. In addition, climate change caused by human activity is an increasingly accepted fact, and many governments of nations around the world are now actively seeking to ameliorate the effects. Tropical crops are near the limits of growth in the hot and humid climate, although there is little information regarding the effect of climate change on tropical plants and even less on oil palms. Climate is likely to influence disease strongly, where fungi are well known as mutable compared to oil palms which are more stable. Hence there will be adaption pressure as climate change progresses that will favour fungi to maintain pathogenicity. Oilpalm will become more susceptible to disease such as Ganoderma rots as they are subjected to stress from climate change. Furthermore, there may be a movement of crops to the Poles as climate becomes unfavorable in the tropics, which may allow oil palm to be disease-free if planted in the current sub-tropics. In this keynote lecture I will address the possible effects of climate change on the (a) suitability for growth of oil palm, and (b) the fungal diseases of oil palms.