Controlling Basal Stem Rot in Oil Palm Plantations by Applying Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Trichoderma spp.

Abstract

Biological agents are critical in the management of major diseases in oil palm plantations. The potential of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) and Trichoderma spp. to control basal stem rot disease was investigated in this study. Three-month-old seedlings treated with AMF since the beginning of planting demonstrated AMF colonization of the roots. With a 25 gram AMF treatment in the main nursery, AMF colonization increased by 85.99% in TBM-1 (the 1-year immature plant). In TBM-2, AMF colonization increased by 86.00-97.33% (2-year immature plant). All of the treatments started with 30 grams of Trichoderma spp. applied at the start of pre-nursery planting. Root colonization and the number of spores in the root rhizosphere in TBM-2 had a strong relationship (2-year immature plant). AMF inoculation had a significant impact on root colonization and spore number response. According to this study, the application of 25 grams of AMF in the pre-nursery and main nursery, as well as repeated additions at planting, were found to be effective in controlling attacks of basal stem rot disease through early prevention strategies.
 Keywords: biological control agent, arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF), Trichoderma spp. oil palm