PalmElit, INRAB, and CRA-PP at the Plant Pathology Conference in Aussois.
From January 12 to 16, 2026, Dr. Jacques Dossa, Director of the INRAB/CRA-PP Plant Pathology Laboratory in Benin, and Dr. Pernaci Michaël, a plant pathologist at PalmElit, participated in the 2026 Jean Chevaugeon Days (JJC2026), organized by la Société Française de Phytopathologie (SFP) in Aussois, France.
This conference is dedicated to research on various topics related to plant pathology, including sustainable tools and strategies for crop protection, epidemiology and population genetics, the molecular physiology of plant-pathogen interactions, as well as the ecology of interactions and taxonomy/phylogeny.
During the conference, two posters titled “Selection of oil palms resistant to fusarium wilt” and “First report on basal stem rot caused by Ganoderma ryvardenii on oil palms in the Republic of Benin” were presented.
Key takeaways:
–Fusarium wilt, caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis, is the primary threat to oil palm cultivation in Africa. Research has shown that selecting plant material resistant to Fusarium wilt limits its spread. This selection is carried out through early tests conducted at the nursery stage by inoculating the pathogen.
-Analyses have identified the resistance level of the parent plants of our seeds, as well as inter- and intra-origin variability.
–Basal stem rot is caused by a soil-borne fungus belonging to the Ganoderma group. Several species have been identified as pathogens.
–Intermediate resistance to Ganoderma established in Asian strains is currently being validated in African strains.
-Samples collected in Benin have identified the present species as G. ryvardenii.
#PalmElit #Phytopathology #INRAB #CRA_PP #PalmierÀHuile #Fusariose #Ganoderma #RechercheAgricole #Innovation #PlantHealth #OilPalm
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