Articles
PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL SCALE CLONAL OIL PALM (ELAEIS GUINEENSIS JACQ.) PLANTINGS IN MALAYSIA
Article number
461_27
Pages
251 – 258
Language
Abstract
In vitro propagation of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) has been practised in Malaysia since the 1980s.
Root and leaf fragments were used and explants were extracted from unselected seedling materials, selected ortet palms, and embryos of superior crosses.
The regenerated plantlets were created through somatic embryogenesis.
Since 1981, small-scale plantings were undertaken by various plantation groups and early results were disappointing.
The fruiting abnormalities (mantleness), together with mediocre yield advantage of less than 20% over control DxP seedling materials, created a loss of confidence in clonal oil palm.
However, a few laboratories have achieved more promising results.
Among these, Agrocom Enterprise (M) Sdn Bhd have successfully developed its own technology of somatic embryogenesis using leaf explant from specially selected ortet palms in the early 1980’s and more than 1000 hectares of these oil palm clones have been planted in Malaysia since 1989. Agrocom’s clonal palms were observed to be highly uniform and are harvestable 25 months after field planting.
FFB and oil yields to date (up to 7 years after planting for the oldest test plantings) were >40% and >50% more than standard DxP seedling materials respectively, when grown under favourable soil and rainfall conditions, coupled with good management practices.
The incidence of abnormalities is negligible.
Out of more than 50,000 palms censused to date, less than 1% have been found to be abnormal.
Results to date indicate that clonal oil palms produced by proven tissue-culture techniques are superior in productivity and quality than the standard DxP seedling palms, and as such, are destined to become the preferred planting materials in the 21st century.
Root and leaf fragments were used and explants were extracted from unselected seedling materials, selected ortet palms, and embryos of superior crosses.
The regenerated plantlets were created through somatic embryogenesis.
Since 1981, small-scale plantings were undertaken by various plantation groups and early results were disappointing.
The fruiting abnormalities (mantleness), together with mediocre yield advantage of less than 20% over control DxP seedling materials, created a loss of confidence in clonal oil palm.
However, a few laboratories have achieved more promising results.
Among these, Agrocom Enterprise (M) Sdn Bhd have successfully developed its own technology of somatic embryogenesis using leaf explant from specially selected ortet palms in the early 1980’s and more than 1000 hectares of these oil palm clones have been planted in Malaysia since 1989. Agrocom’s clonal palms were observed to be highly uniform and are harvestable 25 months after field planting.
FFB and oil yields to date (up to 7 years after planting for the oldest test plantings) were >40% and >50% more than standard DxP seedling materials respectively, when grown under favourable soil and rainfall conditions, coupled with good management practices.
The incidence of abnormalities is negligible.
Out of more than 50,000 palms censused to date, less than 1% have been found to be abnormal.
Results to date indicate that clonal oil palms produced by proven tissue-culture techniques are superior in productivity and quality than the standard DxP seedling palms, and as such, are destined to become the preferred planting materials in the 21st century.
Authors
C.H. Khaw, S.K. Ng
Keywords
oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq., tissue culture, clones, yields, abnormality
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