Basal stem rot (BSR) disease in oil palm, caused by Ganoderma species, is considered the most destructive disease in the oil palm industry in Southeast Asia. The efficacy of bacteria from the genera Pseudomonas and Burkholderia in controling Ganoderma boninse has been reported. Maizatul and Idris (2009) reported that a pure culture of the endophytic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae, also called Pseudomonas GanoEB3, has the capability of inhibiting the growth of G. boninense in vitro, and is effective in controling G. boninense infection in oil palm seedlings. However, the utilization of a bacterial cell suspension is impractical for large-scale field application due to difficulties faced during storage, transport and handling.

Main Research: Nasyaruddin Mohammad @ Nik Mohd