Oil Palm Bulletin No. 41 (November 2000) p1-14

Intensive IPM for mangement of oil palm pests

ARIFFIN Darus, Dr , MOHD BASRI Wahid

Oil palm is an important crop to Malaysia because of its huge hectarage (3.3 million hectares) and because of its significant contribution to the foreign exchange earning to the country. However, localized losses attributable to a number of pests can be substantial if high pest populations or outbreaks occur persistently. Intensive integrated pest management (IPM) of various key pests has always formed an integral part of oil palm husbandry.

This paper reviews the current IPM practices of key pests, viz. bagworm, nettle caterpillar, bunch moth, rhinoceros beetles, rodents and the basal stem rot. With the exception of basal stem rot, the use of economic threshold levels are essential in deciding whether chemical intervention is required. Chemicals are therefore used judiciously. The idea of planting beneficial plants such as Cassia cobanensis and Crotalaria usaramoensisto sustain natural enemies are well received by planters and is actively being implemented.
The change in number of agronomic practices (e.g. zero burning and empty fruit bunch mulching), coupled with massive replanting programmes has led to a population explosion of Oryctes rhinoceros. Prophylactic treatment with synthetic pyrethroids is essential. Biological control organism, viz.Metarhizium and virus are being evaluated and for the former, plans are being made for mass production. For the latter, three strains of Oryctes rhinoceros virus have been established, one of which falls into the virulent group.
Of four types of Ganoderma identified, only one species (G. boninense) is the most aggressive, while the other three are not so harmful to oil palm. Various methods of control, viz., cultural, chemical, biological are discussed.
Research and development to develop barn owl for rat control and to have it accepted as technically feasible and commercially viable, has taken 20 years! The owls are now widespread in the Peninsula, and they have also been successfully introduced into Sabah. Pending further approval, a pilot scale trial will also be made for Sarawak.

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