| Title | Comparison of Ganoderma boninense Isolate’s Aggressiveness Using Infected Oil Palm Seedlings |
|---|---|
| Author | Mei Lieng Lo1,2, Tu Anh Vu Thanh2, Frazer Midot1, Sharon Yu Ling Lau1*, Wei Chee Wong3, Hun Jiat Tung3, Mui Sie Jee1, Mei‑Yee Chin1, and Lulie Melling1 |
| Address | 1Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia, 2Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia, 3Advanced Agriecological Research Sdn. Bhd., Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia |
| Bibliography | Journal of Microbiology, 61(4),449-459, 2023, |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12275-023-00040-w |
| Key Words | Basal stem rot · Artificial inoculation · Vegetative growth measurement · Disease severity index · Rubber wood block |
| Abstract | Basal stem rot incidence caused by a white-rot fungus, Ganoderma boninense, is the major disease of oil palm in Southeast Asia. The rate of disease transmission and host damage are affected by variations in pathogen aggressiveness. Several other studies have used the disease severity index (DSI) to determine G. boninense aggressiveness levels while verifying disease using a culture-based method, which might not provide accurate results or be feasible in all cases. To differentiate G. boninense aggressiveness, we employed the DSI and vegetative growth measurement of infected oil palm seedlings. Disease confirmation was performed through scanning electron microscopy and molecular identification of fungal DNA from both infected tissue and fungi isolated from Ganoderma selective medium. Two-month-old oil palm seedlings were artificially inoculated with G. boninense isolates (2, 4A, 5A, 5B, and 7A) sampled from Miri (Lambir) and Mukah (Sungai Meris and Sungai Liuk), Sarawak. The isolates were categorized into three groups: highly aggressive (4A and 5B), moderately aggressive (5A and 7A), and less aggressive (2). Isolate 5B was identified as the most aggressive, and it was the only one to result in seedling mortality. Out of the five vegetative growth parameters measured, only the bole size between treatments was not affected. The integration of both conventional and molecular approaches in disease confirmation allows for precise detection. |