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Ganoderma (basal stem rot) in oil palm: signs and what to do

What it looks like

Brown shelf-like mushroom brackets on the lower trunk or at the base; in the crown, several unopened spears and pale, drooping lower fronds.

What to do

Act now. Mark the palm and don't use its leaves or bunches as mulch for other palms.
Put 5 kg Trichoderma-fortified neem cake in the basin, with extra watering.
Don't flood the field, and don't plough the palm basin.
Clean tools between palms.

Spray advice (IIOPR)

No pesticide is officially registered for oil palm in India. This is ICAR-IIOPR's published advice. Check with your mill's field officer before spraying.

IIOPR, for palms with brackets: soil drench with Propiconazole 80 ml in 40 litres of water per palm; stem injection with Pyraclostrobin + Tebuconazole 10 ml in 100 ml water. Don't use Trichoderma and chemicals on the same palm at the same time.

Questions

How do I recognise ganoderma (basal stem rot) in oil palm?

Brown shelf-like mushroom brackets on the lower trunk or at the base; in the crown, several unopened spears and pale, drooping lower fronds.

What should I do about ganoderma (basal stem rot)?

Act now. Mark the palm and don't use its leaves or bunches as mulch for other palms. Put 5 kg Trichoderma-fortified neem cake in the basin, with extra watering. Don't flood the field, and don't plough the palm basin. Clean tools between palms.

Sources: ICAR-IIOPR Crop Calendar 2026

Check your palm with a photo

Palm Day's photo check tells you if it's this problem or something else, in Telugu.