Opportunities for new-generation Ganoderma boninense biotechnology

Abstract

Plant pathogenic fungi are significantly impacting global food security, causing a tremendous decline in crop yield and production. Strategies to identify fungal pathogenicity/virulent factors remain a grand challenge in biotechnology especially in the quest for an effective solution involving resistance, protection and management. The basidiomycete, Ganoderma boninense, causes basal stem rot (BSR) in oil palm trees involving lignin biodegradation. In Southeast Asia, BSR severely affects oil palm production with ongoing economic losses. The disease is deemed a serious agricultural threat to developing, or newly industrialized, countries such as Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. In this chapter, we discuss the biology and pathogenic nature of G. boninense with respect to its host defence response, lignification. We present an explicit overview of the G. boninense-oil palm pathosystem and thereby provide critical information on feasible strategies available for G. boninense control. In addition, current improvements and future prospective for new-generation biotechnology in respect to G. boninense are discussed.