Evaluation of interspecific oil palm hybrids for dwarfness

Abstract

Inter-specific hybridization is taken up for introgression of desirable traits, mainly dwarfness, from Elaeis oleifera (HBK) Cortes into the cultivated species Elaeis guineensis Jacq. Two inter-specific hybrids ISH-1 (360Egx13Eo) and ISH-2 (361Egx11Eo) developed with E. guneensis as female parent and E. oleifera as male parent were evaluated along with normal Dura x Pisifera (Tenera). There was significant variation for vegetative growth and yield parameters between as well as within the hybrids. This indicated scope for selection within as well as between the hybrids. The shortest was palm 20 of ISH-1 with 210 cm height after 12 years. With respect to bunch characters, mean bunch weight, number of fruits and average fruit weight showed significant variation among the hybrids. Palm height as well as height increment was having high heritability, whereas bunch index showed low heritability. Subsequently, a selection index constructed based on discriminant function analysis by considering the most important traits of height increment and FFB yield. As a result, eight promising palms were shortlisted, five from ISH-1 and three from ISH-2. They are used for back crossing with recurrent parent to develop dwarf genotypes in oil palm.