Affiliations 

  • 1 Malaysian Nuclear Agency
  • 2 Malaysian Palm Oil Board
MyJurnal

Abstract

The paper describes the uses of microfocus XRF to identify infected Basal Stem Rot (BSR) disease in Malaysian palm oil plants. Among symptoms of BSR are wilting of the leaves and plant malnutrition. The study involves determining the inorganic element content of normal and infected leaves. Si, Mo, Cl, K, Ca and Mn had been identified as the major elements. Their distribution was determined by constructing an elemental map of each of this element on the leaves. Line scan was also performed to look into changes on the element composition on a defined region. Quantitative analysis of Cl, Ca and K on the normal and infected leaves show that the infected leaves have lower Cl content and a higher Ca/K ratio than the normal leaves.