Pathogenicity of Ganoderma Boninense in Oil Palm (Elaeis Guineensis) seedlings on different soil types

Abstract

Ganoderma Boninense, one of the main causal agents for Basal Stem Rot (BSR) in oil palm in Malaysia, Indonesia, and a few other countries, has caused about half a billion US$ economic loss annually (Gurmit 1991). This Basidiomycete Pathogen was observed to spread in the coastal area before moving into inland soils in Peninsular Malaysia (PM) (Gurmit 1991). BSR has become more alarming in East Malaysia, namely Sabah in the past few years (Chong et al. 2011). Ganoderma White Rot Disease was spotted mainly in old mature oil palms a few decades ago; however, in recent years the disease has infected younger oil palms in the fields (Chung 2011; Gurmit 1991). Variations in aggressiveness were observed in G. Boninense isolates collected from various states in PM (Kok et al. 2013). Various soil factors and properties, namely pH, conductivity, water table, and nutrition, were proposed to be pre-disposing factors for Ganoderma infection (Gurmit 1991). In this preliminary study, pathogenicity of G. Boninense on five different soil types — Bungor, Selangor, Parit Botak, Blenheim, and soil from an tin tailing area was assessed with two-month-old seedlings.