Breeding of Fruit and Plantation Crops

Oil palm

• Oil palm : Elaeis guineensis Jacq.
• Family: Arecaceae

• Elaeis is derived from the Greek word elaion meaning oil while the specific name guineensis shows its origin from the Guinea coast. The other species under the genus are E.olerifera and E. odora. E.oleifera, known as American oil palm. Elaeis guineensis (African oil palm) is a diploid with 2n = 32.

Classification of cultivars in African oil palm

• Cultivars in the strict sense do not occur. The best classification is based on fruit structure

• Dura: Shell usually 2-8 mm thick, low to medium mesocarp content (35-55%) kernels large, no fibre ring. In Deli Durapalms, kernels tend to be larger, comprising 7-20% of weight of fruits.
• Tenera: Shell 0.5-4mm thick, medium to high mesocarp content (60-90%) fibre ring darker in colour and encircles the endocarp. Higher sex ratio and larger number of bunches than Dura.
• Pisifera: Shellless with small pea- like kernels in fertile fruits. It is of little commercial value, but is important in breeding commercial palms.
• Oil palms can also be classified based on the colour of exocarp as follows:
• Nigrescens: Unripe fruit deep violet to black at apex and ivory coloured towards base. This is the commonest type. Two forms are recognized on ripening. They are Rubro nigrescens (ripe fruits deep reddish orange) it has the highest content of carotenoids and carotene. It is the commonest form in West Africa and Rutilo nigrescens (ripe fruits paler-orange with black cap on upper half).
• Virescens : Unripe fruits green, ripening to light reddish orange with small greenish tip. Anthocyanins little or absent.
• Albescens: Fruits lack reddish colour at maturity as it contains little or no carotene. It ripens to pale-yellow or ivory with a blackish or green cap on upper half.

Differentiating features of American oil palm and African oil palm

Sl. No	Features	American oil palm	African oil palm
1	Botanical name	Elaeis oleifera	Elaeis guinensis
2	Stature	Dwarf	Tall
3	Leaflet arrangement on the frond	On one plane	Alternative arrangement of leaflets
4	Quality of oil	Better	Comparatively poor
5	Yield	Less	More
6	Distribution	Found only in America	Cultivated in America, Asia and Africa.