South American Bud rot: A biosecurity threat to South East Asian oil palm

Diseases affecting oil palm with significant economic impact have been confined according to the region where the crop is established. Yield losses reported by these diseases are higher than the losses caused by other pests in the crop. Oil palm planted in South East Asia is currently devastated by the deadly white rot fungus, Ganoderma spp. while in Africa, Fusarium oxysporum spp. causes the catastrophic Vascular wilt. But among these, Bud rot affecting the South American industry is deemed the worst due to the speed of the spread and its economic impact. Initial reports associated abiotic factors to the outbreak but after extensive studies, researchers from Colombia proved that a biotic agent is responsible for the disease. Phytophthora palmivora was identified as the causal agent although the finding is still being challenged. The pathogen however, has a cosmopolitan distribution recording significant disease damages in some of the commodity crops in Malaysia; cocoa, durian, jackfruit, papaya and black pepper. A biosecurity alert immediately ensued in Malaysia resulting in various activities to reduce the potential threat presented by the pathogen. Although phylogenetic analysis of the local P. palmivora isolates showed the isolates are closely related to the Colombian isolates based on ITS region with preliminary pathogenicity assays with the local isolates on oil palm resulting in negative infection. This paper reviews the disease, potential risk involved to the multibillion-dollar industry and outlines mitigating measures that took place to avoid accidental introduction into the country.