Status on oil palm wascular wilt

Oil palm vascular wilt is caused by Fusarium oxysporum fsp.elaeidis, a soilborne pathogen. It is widespread in western and central Africa, where it was first described in the 1940s. Localised foci have also been detected in south America (Brazil and Ecuador) in the 1980s. The pathogen penetrates the plant via the root system, develops in the xylem and can cause the more or less rapid decay of the affected palms. The symptoms vary depending on several factors, such as the age of the palm, the crop cycle and the degree of susceptibility of the planting material. Losses of more than 50% can be recorded in some plantations. Being a soil inhabitant, the pathogen and its population increase during the first planting, causing damage to the adult palms, but in replantings, vascular wilt affects young palms. Although some cultural practices can reduce the level of the disease, planting with resistant material is the only viable method of control. Breeding for resistance is therefore of paramount importance and sources of resistance can be found within many origins of Elaeis guineensis and some populations of Elaeis oleifera. Disease symptoms, pathogen characteristics, disease propagation, cultural practices and breeding for resistance are discussed in this note. (Résumé d'auteur