Palm Sunday

 With Morgan Hollie:

Ganoderma "butt rot" on palm

Reuters, Palm oil yields at risk as Ganoderma appears in earlier planting cycles

A fungal disease once confined to older palm trees in coastal areas is spreading across Malaysian palm plantations and appearing much earlier in growth cycles, threatening yields in newly replanted areas, agricultural industry experts say.

The rise of the fungus in second-largest palm oil exporter Malaysia, as well as in top producer Indonesia, is another headache for an industry struggling with stagnating output of the world's most popular vegetable oil as plantations age.

Ganoderma, the fungus, is emerging in second-generation plantings, whereas previously it was only evident after three planting cycles, said Julian McGill, managing director of oil crop advisory firm Glenauk Economics.

The disease occurs more frequently when successive palm generations are replanted on the same land. “The enforcement of zero-burning policies in the field has also increased its spread, and examples of Ganoderma in newer plantings, inland soils and younger trees appear to be becoming more frequent,” McGill said.

Ganoderma spreads slowly but detection is difficult. “By the time you see the symptoms in the field the disease is already well established, and the infection may have spread,” McGill said.

I found it interesting that this is shelf fungus, like many we see in our woods here.

It's a wonder anything ever gets grown, with all the diseases out there.

Linked at The Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has posted Rule 5 Sunday: Karin Hart at the usual time and place.