Symptomatology, Distribution and Incidence of Basal Stem Rot of Oil Palm in Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

The oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a tree plant cultivated for its fruits, from which fatty substances are extracted for food and industrial uses. The oil palm sector has a positive impact on the socio-economic situation of producing countries such as Côte d’Ivoire. However, oil palm cultivation is subject to pests and pathologies, such as basal stem rot, which have been attacking Ivorian palm groves for several decade. This study was carried out to assess the spatial distribution and incidence of this pathology in the traditional oil palm cultivation area in Côte d'Ivoire. The method adopted for this study consisted of making an inventory of all the palm trees in a given plot, noting the presence or absence of symptoms of the disease and determining the incidence in each locality. The characteristic symptoms of the disease were observed: a pale appearance of the leaves, the arrows not open, the appearance of carpophore at the base of the stem or on root. Disease is present in the localities of Ehania, Eloka, Anguédédou, Boubo and Okroyo. But absent from the locality of Iboké. The incidence of the disease was between 0% Iboké and Ehania 1.15 %. This study establishes for the first time a summary map of the distribution of basal rot of the oil palm in Côte d'Ivoire