Variations in the incidence of Ganoderma basal stem rot disease in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) on different soils had been observed in the field. Notably, acid sulphate coastal soils were observed to have higher Ganoderma incidence compared with inland soils. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to study the effects of four different soils belonging to five soil series, namely Parit Botak* and Jawa** series – acid sulphate coastal soil, Bungor*** series – inland soil, Blenheim series – coastal shell deposit soil (Typic Quartzipsamments), and Kabu series – limestonederived soil, coarse sandy loam (Typic Paleudults), on Ganoderma incidence and severity in oil palm seedlings in the nursery. The results show that the seedlings planted on both samples of acid sulphate coastal soils had the highest Ganoderma incidence and severity whereas those planted on coastal shell deposit soil had the lowest. Total number and weight of fruiting bodies produced at five months postinoculation were exponentially correlated to percent reduction in dry weight of Ganoderma-inoculated rubber wood blocks (RWB). Inoculated RWB from Parit Botak series were the most friable and the softest, followed by those from Jawa and Kabu series. Three sets of symptoms of Ganoderma infection were observed: a) leaf symptoms prior to initiation of Ganoderma fruiting bodies (on Bungor and Jawa series), b) leaf symptoms after initiation of Ganoderma fruiting bodies (on Blenheim and Parit Botak series), and c) a combination of the two sets (on Kabu series). Discriminant analyses elucidated that zinc, copper and calcium were associated with more than 50% disease severity index (DSI) and necrotic bole tissues. In contrast, pH, iron, manganese and nitrogen were associated with less than or 50% of DSI and necrotic bole tissues. This study illustrates the impacts of soils with different chemical compositions on the incidence and severity Ganoderma disease.

Pemerhatian di ladang mendapati bahawa insiden penyakit Ganoderma reput pangkal sawit (Elaeis guineensis) adalah berbeza pada tanah yang berlainan. Tanah asid sulfat pantai telah didapati mengalami insiden jangkitan Ganoderma yang lebih tinggi berbanding di tanah pedalaman. Oleh itu, objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji kemungkinan berlaku insiden jangkitan Ganoderma dan tahap kerosakan ke atas anak benih sawit di tapak semaian menggunakan tanah yang berlainan. Kajian ini menggunakan lima siri tanah dari empat taksonomi berbeza iaitu siri Parit Botak* dan siri Jawa** – tanah sulfat asid pantai, siri Bungor*** – tanah pedalaman, siri Blenheim – tanah mendapan shell pantai (Typic Quartzipsamments), dan siri Kabu – tanah terhasil dari batu kapur, lom berpasir kasar (Typic Paleudults). Keputusan mendapati bahawa anak benih yang ditanam di kedua-dua tanah asid sulfat pantai mengalami insiden jangkitan Ganoderma dan tahap kerosakan tertinggi, manakala yang ditanam di tanah mendapan shell pantai mengalami jangkitan terendah lima bulan selepas diinokulasi, jumlah bilangan dan berat jasad berbuah yang dihasilkan didapati mempunyai korelasi secara eksponensial dengan pengurangan peratus berat kering blok kayu getah terinokulasi. RWB yang diinokulasi dari siri Parit Botak adalah yang paling rapuh dan lembut, diikuti oleh RWB di tanah siri Jawa dan Kabu. Pemerhatian dilakukan ke atas tiga set simptom jangkitan Ganoderma: a) simptom daun sebelum terhasilnya jasad berbuah Ganoderma (pada siri Bungor dan Jawa), b) simptom daun selepas terhasilnya jasad berbuah Ganoderma (pada siri Blenheim dan Parit Botak), dan c) gabungan kedua-dua set (pada siri Kabu). Analisis diskriminasi menunjukkan bahawa zink, kuprum dan kalsium mempunyai kaitan dengan indeks kerosakan penyakit (DSI) dan nekrotik di tisu boleh melebihi 50%. Sebaliknya, pH, ferum, mangan dan nitrogen mempunyai kaitan dengan DSI dan nekrotik tisu bole pada tahap 50% atau kurang. Kajian ini menunjukan bahawa tanah yang mengandungi komposisi kimia yang berlainan akan memberi impak berbeza terhadap insiden dan kerosakan disebabkan penyakit Ganoderma.