Plant Impact’s fertiliser products to be tested for prevention of fungal infection in oil palm

Plant Impact plc, the plant health technology company, has started trials of two of its speciality fertiliser products for the prevention of fungal infection in oil palms.

The trials, which are expected to last for 12 months, will test the effect of Impaction and Impact Calcium on Ganoderma infestation in this important crop. The strong global demand for oils and fats for food production, as well as a reaction to increased oil prices and the move towards biofuels, has caused a rapid growth of the oil palm industry in South East Asia.

The first trials of Impaction and Impact Calcium are already underway, and large-scale plantation trials on five-year old as well as mature palms are expected to start in 2006. CABI Bioscience, a leading not-for-profit enterprise specialising in sustainable solutions for agricultural and environmental problems with a seat on the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, will be managing these trials, taking regular measurements of parameters indicative of plant health, infection, oil yield and quality, as well as producing an independent report on the effect of Plant Impact products on plant health and disease prevention.

Ganoderma, which occurs as a pathogen on a wide range of perennial crops, has caused significant productivity decline, and it is widely recognised as the most serious disease of oil palm in Malaysia and Indonesia. Basal stem rot caused by the pathogen begins to appear when the palms are 10-12 years old, and by the time the palms reach 25 years old the incidence is in the range of 25-30%.

Peter Blezard, CEO of Plant Impact said, “Ganoderma infection leads to annual crop losses in Malaysia and Indonesia worth in excess of $540m which represents some 10% loss of crop, and there is currently no treatment nor any way of preventing the problem. We are excited that Plant Impact’s products could make a huge difference to the profitability of the palm oil industry.”

Malaysia, which had nearly RM20 billion of palm oil exports in 2004, and Indonesia produce over 83% of the total world output of palm oil. Use of biodiesel, a mixture of palm oil and diesel, is thought to be able to reduce Malaysia’s demand for diesel by more than 10%1. In addition, biodiesel should produce cleaner exhaust emissions in line with the United Nations’ Kyoto Protocol. Worldwide demand for biofuels, estimated at 2.5m tonnes in 2004, is thought to be growing at 25% a year, with Europe being a particularly significant market as there are targets for vehicle fuel to be 5.75% by 2010.

Brian Pettit of CABI said, “We are delighted to be working with Plant Impact to improve the health of palm oil plants. CABI has one of its regional centres located in Malaysia, which is well connected with the oil palm industry. It has active involvement both at the government and the industry level across the entire SE Asia region, and has been working towards understanding the causes and prevention of Ganoderma infestation for many years”.