INNOVATION IN GANODERMA CONTROL IN OIL PALM PLANTATIONS

Basal Stem Rot (BSR), caused by the fungal pathogen Ganoderma boninense, has become a critical issue threatening the sustainability of Indonesia’s palm oil industry. Research indicates rapid increases in its geographic spread, infection rates across plant ages, and overall severity. Reported infection rates are alarming: 39–52% in Sumatra, 19% in Kalimantan, 30% in Java, 10% in Sulawesi, and 9% in Maluku–Papua.

Ganoderma infections can reduce oil palm yields by 50–80% and shorten the plant’s economic lifespan by up to 50%, depending on severity. The economic losses are staggering, estimated in trillions of rupiah annually. Without significant intervention, projections suggest infected plantation areas will continue to expand, threatening the very existence of Indonesia’s palm oil industry and its role in food and energy security.

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How Does National Policy Support Ganoderma Control and Early Detection?

Because Ganoderma spreads across geographic and ownership boundaries, control efforts can no longer be piecemeal. A coordinated, nationwide approach is essential, covering biosecurity, monitoring, early detection, prevention, and curative measures. Reactivating a national Integrated Pest Management (IPM) framework is critical.

Early detection is a cornerstone of this strategy. The GRS program managed by BPDPKS has delivered several groundbreaking technologies that allow identification of Ganoderma boninense before visible symptoms appear. These tools enable earlier, more effective interventions and are key to mitigating the devastating effects of BSR.

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What Innovations Have Been Developed for Early Detection of Ganoderma boninense?

Notable technological breakthroughs include:

• eNose-G Device (Widiastuti et al., 2020; 2022): A portable third-generation device capable of distinguishing between healthy palms and those with early, moderate, or severe infections. It achieves >80% accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity, while remaining affordable and easy to use directly in the field.
  (See Figure 1: Portable eNose-G Device for Early Detection of Ganoderma, Source: BPDPKS, 2021)
• Portable Molecular Detection Device (Whulanza et al., 2022; 2023): Enables rapid on-site molecular-level diagnosis.
  (See Figure 2: Portable Molecular Detection Innovation for Early Ganoderma Diagnosis, Source: Erliana-Trubus, 2024)
• Self Injection Locked (SIL) Radar Technology (Arif et al., 2024): Uses radar signals to detect structural anomalies in palm trunks linked to early infection.
• IFOVIB-G Robot (Shovitri et al., 2024): Employs photon and vibration technology for advanced early detection.

Together, these innovations represent a transformative shift in monitoring strategies for Ganoderma control.

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What Collective Innovations Exist for Biological and Curative Control?

While no single solution fully eradicates Ganoderma, research outputs under the GRS program provide a suite of preventive and curative tools:

• Biological Agents – Trichoderma-based biofungicides compete with Ganoderma, offering practical control options.
• Plant-Based Fungicides – Biofungicides derived from oil palm leaf extract (OPLE) (Kresnawaty et al., 2023; 2024).
• Microbial Solutions – Streptomyces GBSRI technology (Simamora et al., 2024) suppresses fungal attacks while being environmentally friendly.
• Novel Mechanisms – Non-self DNA Ganoderma (G-fung) technology (Rozziansha et al., 2024) disrupts fungal growth.
• RNA Interference (RNAi) Biofungicides – Shown to suppress Ganoderma infections by 50–60% (Subandiyah et al., 2023).
• Organic Fungicide Enrichment – FO Ganor+ formula enhances curative performance (Yusuf et al., 2024).
• Technological Applications – Radar, sound-wave treatments, and robotics for fungal suppression.

These complementary measures highlight the importance of collective innovation for effective long-term disease management.

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How Is Biological Control Applied in Preventive and Curative Strategies?

Preventive and curative innovations under GRS are critical pillars of Ganoderma management:

• Plant-derived biofungicides (OPLE extract).
• Antifungal Streptomyces GBSRI strains with high resilience.
• RNAi-based control systems that inhibit infection spread.
• Robotic IFOVIB-G applications, serving dual detection and curative functions.
• Organic fungicides with improved active compounds.

This integrated biological approach provides both immediate and long-term disease suppression.

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What Are the Long-Term Solutions for Managing Basal Stem Rot?

Sustainable solutions require structural changes in two areas:

1. Developing tolerant oil palm varieties – Several breeding programs are producing resistant or tolerant genotypes. Research under GRS (Budiani et al., 2015; 2018; 2019) has applied Agrobacterium-based genetic transformation and CRISPR cisgenic modules to produce clonal oil palm tolerant to BSR.
2. Improving soil micro-environments – Biological, chemical, and physical soil regeneration strategies are being explored to reduce pathogen prevalence.

Biotechnology and digital agriculture are opening pathways to accelerate both plant resistance breeding and soil health restoration.

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Key Conclusions on Ganoderma Control Innovations

Ganoderma poses an existential threat to Indonesia’s palm oil sector, capable of causing severe production declines within the next two replanting cycles if not addressed. A coordinated response—national policy, early detection, preventive, and curative innovations—is critical.

The GRS program of BPDPKS has catalyzed breakthroughs in early detection (eNose-G, molecular devices, radar, robotics), preventive solutions (biofungicides, microbial agents, RNAi), and long-term resilience (tolerant clonal varieties). Collectively, these innovations represent a robust, science-based pathway to secure the future of Indonesia’s palm oil industry against the “silent killer” of basal stem rot.

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References

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