Description
Oil palm planting materials are based on an extremely narrow genetic base, and it has been generally recognized that the narrowness of the gene pool is a major obstacle towards increasing yields in many crops including oil palm. This chapter discusses the rather narrow genetic base of current breeding materials and the work undertaken by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board with the aim of broadening this genetic base. The chapter examines the ways of assessing genetic diversity in oil palm, through the analysis of fruit forms and types, morphological traits and genetic markers. It also reviews the methods for the conservation of oil palm collections and the ways of utilizing germplasm in order to develop improved varieties
Table of contents
1 Introduction
2 The genetic base of current breeding materials
3 Genetic diversity in oil palm: fruit forms
4 Genetic diversity in oil palm: fruit types
5 Genetic diversity in oil palm: morphological traits
6 Genetic diversity in oil palm: genetic markers
7 Conservation of oil palm collections
8 Utilization of germ plasm
9 Conclusion
10 Where to look for further information
11 Acknowledgement
12 References