Analysis of temperature patterns in Ganoderma boninense-infected oil palm seedlings: A comparative study using infrared thermography

The disease Ganoderma boninense is the main cause of losses in the oil palm industry, leading to reduced crop yields and productivity. Early detection of infection is expected to be one way to reduce the economic impact of the disease. Infrared Thermography technology has been used in various fields for non-destructive monitoring, including agriculture. In this research, Infrared Thermography was utilized to observe temperature distribution patterns in oil palm seedlings. The aim was to assess the correlation between thermal characteristics and Ganoderma infection. The samples used consisted of Tenera palm seedlings aged 5-9 months, which is when they enter the main growth phase. The study included a total of 10 oil palm seedlings, divided into two groups: healthy seedlings and those infected with Ganoderma, with each group comprising 5 samples. Ganoderma-infected seedlings were obtained through inoculation using Ganoderma boninense. A thermal camera, UNI-T UTi120 Mobile, capable of measuring temperatures ranging from - 20°C to 400°C, was selected to obtain thermal images of the samples. Image processing was performed to observe and compare temperature distributions between infected and healthy oil palm seedlings. Subsequently, an analysis of temperature difference patterns that could be used as early indicators of Ganoderma boninense infection and statistical analysis to compare temperature distribution patterns between the two groups was conducted. The test results indicated that variance homogeneity was met (p = 0.609). A t-test assuming equal variances was then conducted. The t-test results showed a significant difference in temperature between the infected and control plant groups (t = -3.411, p = 0.004). These findings indicate that Ganoderma infection affects temperature changes in oil palm seedlings and reaffirm the significant differences between the two groups.