Sains Malaysiana 45(3)(2016): 401–409

The Potential of Endophytic Bacteria as a Biological Control Agent for Ganoderma Disease

in Oil Palm

(Potensi Bakteria Endofit sebagai Agen Kawalan Biologi untuk Penyakit Ganoderma pada Pokok Sawit)

NUR RASHYEDA RAMLI¹*, MAIZATUL SURIZA MOHAMED², IDRIS ABU SEMAN¹,

MADIHAH AHMAD ZAIRUN¹ & NASYARUDDIN MOHAMAD³

¹Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²University of Nottingham, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, United Kingdom

³The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

Received: 26 December 2014/Accepted: 7 September 2015

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to screen the endophytic bacteria as a biological control agent (BCA) against Ganoderma boninense. A total of 581 endophytic bacteria were successfully isolated from symptomless oil palm root tissues at Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia. Three endophytic bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa GanoEB1, Burkholderia cepacia GanoEB2, and Pseudomonas syringae GanoEB3 were found to have a potential as BCA based on their percentage inhibition of radial growth (PIRG) in dual culture and culture filtrate tests. Two nursery trials were conducted to evaluate the capability of these bacteria to suppress Ganoderma disease in oil palm seedlings that were artificially infected with G. boninense using rubber wood block (RWB) sitting technique. The percentage of disease incidence (DI), severity of foliar symptoms (SFS) and dead seedlings were used as the assessment tools. As a result, DI and SFS have developed much slower in the seedlings that were pre-treated with bacteria compared to untreated seedlings. After 6 months of inoculation, Ganoderma disease incidence was reduced from 62-75% in the seedlings treated with P. aeruginosa GanoEB1, followed by B. cepacia GanoEB2 (31-59%) and P. syringae GanoEB3 (30-31%). Among these three endophytic bacteria, P. aeruginosa GanoEB1 was the most effective in controlling Ganoderma disease and the dead seedlings were in the range of 13.3-26.7%, followed by B. cepacia GanoEB2 (33.3% for both trials) and P. syringae GanoEB3 (33.3-40.0%) compared to untreated seedlings at 60% for both trials. A field study needs to be conducted to verify their effectiveness in controlling Ganoderma in oil palm.

Keywords: Burkholderia; endophytic bacteria; Ganoderma boninense; Ganoderma disease; Pseudomonas

ABSTRAK

Suatu kajian telah dijalankan untuk menyaring bakteria endofit sebagai agen kawalan biologi terhadap kulat Ganoderma boninense. Sebanyak 581 bakteria endofit telah berjaya diasingkan daripada tisu akar pokok sawit sihat di Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia. Tiga bakteria endofit telah dikenal pasti sebagai Pseudomonas aeruginosa GanoEB1, Burkholderia cepacia GanoEB2 dan Pseudomonas syringae GanoEB3 menunjukkan potensi sebagai agen kawalan biologi berdasarkan peratus rencatan pertumbuhan miselium G. boninense yang tinggi dan signifikan. Dua ujian nurseri telah dijalankan untuk menilai keberkesanan bakteria ini untuk mengawal penyakit Ganoderma pada anak sawit. Anak sawit telah dirawat dengan bakteria endofit dan seterusnya dijangkitkan dengan G. boninense menggunakan teknik blok kayu getah (RWB). Peratusan kejadian penyakit (DI), keterukan simptom daun (SFS) dan kematian anak sawit telah digunakan sebagai alat penilaian. Melalui hasil kajian ini, kadar peratusan DI dan SFS adalah lebih rendah pada anak sawit yang telah dirawat dengan bakteria endofit berbanding dengan anak sawit yang tidak dirawat. Selepas 6 bulan rawatan, kejadian penyakit Ganoderma telah dapat dikurangkan pada kadar 62-75% pada anak sawit yang telah dirawat dengan P. aeruginosa GanoEB1 diikuti oleh B. cepacia GanoEB2 (31-59%) dan P. syringae GanoEB3 (30-31%). Antara ketiga-tiga bakteria endofit ini, P. aeruginosa GanoEB1 adalah yang paling berkesan dalam mengawal penyakit Ganoderma kerana hanya 13.3-26.7% anak sawit telah mati diikuti oleh B. cepacia GanoEB2 (33.3% untuk kedua-dua ujian) dan P. syringae GanoEB3 (33.3-40.0%) berbanding dengan anak sawit yang tidak dirawat pada 60% untuk kedua-dua ujian. Namun begitu, kajian lapangan perlu dijalankan untuk mengesahkan keberkesanan bakteria endofit ini dalam mengawal penyakit Ganoderma pada pokok sawit di ladang.

Kata kunci: Burkholderia; bakteria endofit; Ganoderma boninense; penyakit Ganoderma; Pseudomonas

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*Corresponding author; email: shyeda@mpob.gov.my