The chitinase activity of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) roots against fungal endophytes and pathogenic Ganoderma boninense

Abstract

Application of fungal endophytes can be an alternative to control basal stem rot disease in oil palm, caused by 'Ganoderma boninense'. Chitinase is a type of defensive protein synthesized by plants in response to biotic factors. The purpose of this study was to analyze the chitinase activity of oil palm as a defensive mechanism to fungal endophytes and pathogenic 'G. boninense'. Four species of fungal endophytes, 'Trichoderma harzianum' MTP 10 (Th-MTP10), Trichoderma longibrachiatum KBA 31 (Tl-KBA 31), 'Lasiodiplodia venezuelensis' MJP 28 (Lv-MJP 28), 'Dothidiomycetes' sp. MTD 29 (Dt-MTD 29) and one species of fungal pathogen 'G. boninense' and with their each cell wall suspension were introduced to oil palm plantlets in axenic condition. Chitinase activity was observed from the root of oil palm plantlets inoculated with both living cell and cell wall suspension of endophytic fungi and pathogenic 'G. boninense'. Results showed that chitinase activities varied in each fungal treatment and were significantly differed from control. Fungal cell wall elicitors were able to significantly induce chitinase activity after 1 week post treatment (wpt). Statistically, only the chitinase activity from fungal endophyte Lv-MJP 28 was significantly higher from others for 8 and 12 days. Pre-treatment of oil palm plantlet with fungal cell wall suspension for 1 wpt could induce the chitinase activity higher than control when, oil palm infected with fungal pathogen of 'Ganoderma boninense'.