Climate change affects fungal diseases of the important oil palm crop

Abstract

[Excerpt]Palm oil is a very important commodity used in 40% of supermarket products, cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and increasingly, biodiesel. Eighty five percent of palm oil is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia. Also, palm oil production impacts the environment negatively and increases greenhouse gases (GHG). The crop is subjected to serious diseases, including those caused by fungi, which increase when oil palm (OP) are grown under sub-optimal conditions. Climate change is predicted to decrease the ability to produce disease-free OP after 30 and especially 80 years in Malaysia and Indonesia [1]. This affects negatively the sustainability of the palm oil industry, and increases pressure on destroying forests to further grow the cash crop. A limited number of areas gained more suitable climates for growing disease-free OP. [...]