Ganoderma in Oil Palm Plantations: Debunking Livestock Myths and Understanding Spore Spread

Speaking at the 3rd Integrated Cattle and Oil Palm Conference (ICOP), attended by on Wednesday (April 8, 2026), Prof. Maja Slingerland of the Department of Plant Production Systems at Wageningen University & Research explained that Ganoderma fungi reproduce extensively through spores widely dispersed in the environment.

She revealed that a single Ganoderma fruiting body (mushroom) can produce up to 40,000 spores per minute per square centimeter. Within a day, this can amount to billions of spores released into the air and surrounding plantation environment.

“With such an enormous number of spores, it is difficult to conclude that the movement of livestock or humans is the main factor in disease spread,” she said.

According to her, Ganoderma spores are naturally present across various environmental points, meaning that cattle moving through plantations do not significantly contribute to increased disease transmission.

Prof. Slingerland stressed that blaming livestock could divert attention from more relevant factors influencing disease spread. Instead, she urged greater focus on root damage or plant tissue injuries that may serve as entry points for pathogens.

“We need to examine potential root damage or infection entry points. That is far more relevant than blaming livestock mobility,” she added.

She also highlighted the importance of science-based approaches in managing Ganoderma, including proper plantation sanitation, plant health monitoring, and further research into infection mechanisms.

With a better understanding, industry players are expected to move away from unproven assumptions and focus on effective, data-driven disease control strategies.