Bacterial and fungal pathogens associated with diseased oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plants in Pamol Plantations, Cameroon, Central Africa
T. T. OBEN (1), C. E. Etta (1), O. Oguntade (2), O. O. Wanobi (1), C. O. Mekanya (1)
(1) Pamol Plantations Plc, Ekondo Titi, CAMEROON; (2) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, NIGERIA
Phytopathology 101:S131

Oil palm is an important crop in Cameroon because of income generated from palm oil and palm kernel oil. Pests and diseases are important production constraints to this crop. In April 2010, ten oil palm fields and two nurseries in Lipenja and Kokundu divisions of Pamol were surveyed for fungal and bacterial pathogens infecting them. In each field, stem, root and leaf samples of 4 symptomatic plants having chlorosis, stem rot, brown leaf spots and 1 asymptomatic sample were collected randomly and their tissues placed on Peptone-pentachloronitrobenzene, Potato Dextrose Agar and Nutrient Agar. Pure cultures raised from single colonies were identified based on morphology and biochemical assays. Out of 110 samples collected, 38.2% had fungi which include Fusarium oxysporium, F. verticilliodes, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Curvularia lunata, Collectotricum gleospoiriodes, Trichoderma sp., Corynespora sp., Cercospora sp., Cladosporium sp. and 21.8% bacteria; Bacillus cereus, Bacillus substilis, Penicillium sp. and Xanthosomas sp. Their frequency of occurrence were 63.0%, 13.6%, 4.5%, 27.2%, 40.9%, 9%, 4.5%, 18.0%, 2.0%; 54.5%, 45.4%, 4.5% and 4.5%. Mixed occurrence of microorganisms was noted in all diseased samples, with 21.0% having 4, 33.0% with 3 and 45.5% with 2. Latent infection with BT, Curvularia sp. and Bacillus substilis was noticed in 5 out of 22 asymptomatic plants. Purified culture of each microorganism was inoculated singly and in varied combinations onto 4 months old asymptomatic plants to determine their pathogenic effects.