Oil palm is a valuable crop, but a fungal disease called basal stem rot (BSR) causes serious damage and economic losses. Researchers in Ghana discovered that a fungus species called Ganoderma ryvardenii is causing BSR disease on oil palms, marking the first time this pathogen has been found in West Africa. The study used modern genetic testing to identify the fungus and proved it causes the disease by infecting oil palm seedlings in controlled conditions.