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Red root disease (Ganoderma philippii) is the second most damaging root disease after white root in Malaysian rubber. It is common on wet clay soils, coastal lowland blocks, and blocks planted after long rubber rotations. Spread is slower than white root but symptoms are similar: expanding foci of dead trees, root-to-root contact spread, primary reservoir in old stumps.

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Cause

  • Old stumps from previous rubber (or oil palm) rotation
  • Wet clay soils especially coastal lowland (Bagan Datuk, coastal Kedah)
  • Blocked drainage and prolonged waterlogging
  • Root contact with infected neighbors

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Effect

Spreads at 0.5 to 1 m per year (slower than white root).

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Satellite signals

Same as white root: expanding NDVI cluster, best seen in Anomaly view against block history.

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Action

1

Confirm at the collar

Scrape topsoil at the collar. Red-brown crust with foul smell confirms Ganoderma philippii. The red color and smell distinguish it from white root and brown root.
2

Cordon and destroy protocol

Follow the same protocol as white root: isolation trench, inspect neighbors within 5 m, fell and uproot infected trees, burn on site.
3

Fungicide drench

Same materials as white root (tridemorph, triadimefon). MRB provides updated recommendations.
4

Address drainage

Red root incidence correlates strongly with waterlogging. On chronic blocks, improve drainage before replanting.
5

Follow up

3-month cadence for 2 years.
Same as white root; expanding cluster + scout confirmation triggers.