The big threat of oil palm plantations today is a pathogenic fungus called Ganoderma, to be exact is Ganoderma boninense which is a fungus that attacks the palm trunk. This fungus causes a very deadly Busuk Pangkal Batang (BPB) or Basal Stem Rot disease. In severe stages it can destroy plant populations by up to 40%.
Symptoms of ganoderma start from just wilting all the leaves or spear leaves do not open as much as 3 old spears or leaves sengkleh around the stem resembling a woman's skirt until the formation of mushroom fruit bodies starting as big as shirt buttons up to the size of a plate. This symptom indicates a Ganoderma attack.
Palm oil plants will die in the next 6-12 months if the symptoms that are already known there are no countermeasures. Many diseased plants before the fruit body of the Ganoderma mushroom is formed mainly in young plants. The stem tissue and infected roots are brownish yellow in color, then become brittle and flat when held. In plants that have been infected with the above symptoms, then before dying or falling still produce fruit bunches but the amount is much reduced compared to plants that are still healthy.
The pattern of distribution of diseases is irregular but healthy plants tend to cluster into several trees, but if one tree is attacked in a heavy category or even collapsed. Then there is a tendency for the plants around it to also be hit by an attack that will eventually die and fall.
POTENTIAL OF ECONOMIC LOSS
Ganoderma is a pathogenic fungus that cannot be seen in plain view but its damage to plants is extraordinary. Therefore this pathogenic fungus is worthy of being called a fungus Destroying Plant Population (PPT fungus). How not, a real case in the endemic area of Ganoderma, the initial population of plants is 143 staples / ha and after the 15th year the population lives 80 staples / hectare (dead plants almost 45%) or an average death of 3% per year, this means that the plant's age is 50 % of it should be because it must be replanted or replanted.
Therefore, Ganoderma if it is not programmed and comprehensive will be a national disaster for Indonesian oil palm plantations. The following is a simple calculation of the risk of economic loss from each principal death due to a Ganoderma attack in an area of 10,000 ha:
Potential economic losses per staple (pk) of crops per year (th) is 200 kg / pk / year x Rp 1500 / kg = Rp 300,000 / principal / year (300 thousand rupiah)
This means that the average death rate of 10 principal per hectare in one 10,000 hectare estate is Rp. 300,000 / pk / year x 10 principal / ha x 10,000 ha = Rp. 30,000,000,000 (30 billion)
Likewise, when viewed from the value of the principal investment, the plant can be calculated simply as follows:
The value of each principal is 200 kg / pk / th x 20 years x the price of FFB Rp 1500 / kg is equal to 6 million per principal.
It means just dead 10 points is the same as a 1 ha replanting (current replanting fee is +/- 60 million per ha)
