Breeding of Fruit and Plantation Crops 2 + 1

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.


Features differentiating fruit types of oil palm

Sl. No	Characters/Composition	Dura	Tenera	Pisifera
1	Mesocarp proportion in fruit (%)	35-50	60 –96	98
2	Shell thickness (mm)	2 to 8	0.5 to 4	--
3	Oil percentage	15 %	36 %	25 %
4	Average proportion of shell in fruit (%)	30	10	--
5	Average proportion of kernel in fruit (%)	16	16	10