Addressing Ganoderma Disease in Oil Palm Plantations: A Review of Effective Management Strategies and Implementation Challenges

Basal stem rot (BSR), caused by Ganoderma boninense, is the most devastating biological threat to oil palm production in Southeast Asia, resulting in annual economic losses exceeding USD 500 million across Indonesia and Malaysia. Despite decades of research, field practitioners consistently face the reality that no definitive cure exists; disease management centers on slowing pathogen spread through rigorous sanitation and integrated control measures. This qualitative literature review synthesizes peer-reviewed evidence from 2020 to 2025 with critical field insights to identify effective strategies for Ganoderma management across plantation typologies. The analysis reveals that sanitation is the non-negotiable foundation of effective control, requiring the systematic felling of suspected/positive palms, complete stump removal, and the destruction of infected material without delay. The review demonstrates that early detection technologies—particularly UAV-based remote sensing and machine learning algorithms—achieve 89–94% accuracy in identifying pre-symptomatic infections, enabling proactive intervention before fruiting bodies appear. Field evidence indicates that soil management practices, including avoiding replanting at former infection sites and ensuring the application of mature organic matter, fundamentally alter disease progression trajectories. Human-mediated vector transmission through tools, footwear, and operational practices is a critical yet under-addressed pathway that requires institutionalized standard operating procedures and supervisor discipline. Biological control agents (e.g., Trichoderma and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) are effective only when sanitation protocols are rigorously implemented; they cannot compensate for poor hygiene. The synthesis further identifies that smallholders face disproportionate implementation barriers stemming from financial constraints, knowledge gaps, and weak institutional linkages, necessitating differentiated support strategies. The review concludes that plantation survival against Ganoderma depends not on sophisticated technological solutions but on consistent execution of fundamental management principles. Policy recommendations emphasize institutionalizing mandatory sanitation protocols, subsidizing access to early-detection technologies for smallholders, and restructuring extension services to prioritize disease management discipline over productivity metrics.