Ganoderma stem rot (basal stem rot of oil palm)

Basal stem rot of oil palm, caused chiefly by Ganoderma boninense (and recently G. ellipsoideum, first reported in Indian plantations in 2024), is the most economically damaging oil-palm disease, leading to crown decline and stand loss.

Identification and biology

• Pathogen: Ganoderma boninense; G. ellipsoideum (India 2024)
• Biocontrol: Trichoderma afroharzianum consortium ~62% disease suppression
• Management Package: biocontrol + nutrition (Ca/Cu/SA) + sanitation + fungicides

Management

Management is integrated: biocontrol with Trichoderma spp. (T. afroharzianum consortium giving 60-62% disease suppression), continuous Ca/Cu/SA nutrition supplementation, sanitation of infected stumps, and curative use of triazole+strobilurin fungicides. Early diagnosis is being improved via RPA-lateral-flow assays.

References

1. First Report of Ganoderma ellipsoideum BSR in India - Plant Disease. https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/full/10.1094/PDIS-06-25-1162-PDN
2. Trichoderma against Ganoderma BSR oil palm - Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1582047/full