This chapter presents the results of a study on the effects of calcium nitrate as a prophylactic measure against basal stem rot (BSR; Ganoderma) on oil palm seedlings. Treatments comprised: 5.0 or 7.5 g CaNO3/seedling starting at either one month before inoculation or one day after inoculation, control, and 60-g preparation of Trichoderma applied one day after inoculation. Calcium nitrate applications were continued at monthly intervals over a period of 6 months, while the antagonistic fungus was applied only once. The BSR incidence in pot-grown oil palms was suppressed significantly upon treatment with calcium nitrate one month prior to inoculation. Soil augmentation with Trichoderma one day after inoculation did not control the BSR incidence significantly. The role of calcium in reducing BSR incidence is hypothesized as that of stabilizing and strengthening the cell walls of the oil palm seedlings and stimulating the proliferation of antagonistic fungi that will compete for space and nutrients.
Basal stem rot of oil palm caused by Ganoderma boninense is of major economic importance. Observations of the low incidence of disease due to Ganoderma species in natural stands, suggest that the disease is kept under control by some biological means. Trichoderma spp. are saprophytic fungi with high antagonistic activities against soil-borne pathogens. However, their abundance and distribution are soil and crop specific. Trichoderma species have been found to be concentrated in the A1 (0-30 cm) and Be soil horizons (30-60 cm), although the abundance of Trichoderma was not significantly different between the oil palm and non-oil palm ecosystems. Characterisation of Trichoderma isolates based on cultural, morphological and DNA polymorphism showed that T. harzianum, T. virens, T. koningii and T. longibrachiatum made up 72, 14, 10 and 4% of the total Trichoderma isolates isolated. As Trichoderma species are present in the oil palm ecosystem, but at lower numbers and in locations different from those desired, soil augmentation with antagonistic Trichoderma spp. can be developed as a strategy towards integrated management of basal stem rot of oil palm.
The diversity and species richness of insects were studied at the palm grove of El Ghrous. The insects were collected using two types of traps: Barber and Aerial. Forty-four insect species were inventoried. This inventory shows a predominance of Order Coleoptera with 6 families, 13 species and 241 individuals, followed by Hemiptera with 5 families, 7 species and 111 individuals, and Orthoptera with 2 families, 7 species and 54 individuals. J. Biodivers. Conserv. Bioresour. Manag. 2021, 7(1): 85-94
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