Summary
Three oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) experiments in West New Britain, Papua New Guinea, are discussed. The extent of heritable variation in growth parameters is estimated from parent-offspring correlations and from repeatabilities of successive measurements on the same palms. Heritability of vegetative measurements appears high. For yield of fruit, and growth parameters derived therefrom, the heritability is lower, but repeatabilities are improved when yield is averaged over three-year periods.
In the early years of a planting density trial, when the level of interpalm competition was low, individual palms were selected on the basis of yield of fruit per palm and various growth parameters. The performance of the selected palms was then examined in later years, under more intense competition, to assess the possibilities of selection for high planting density. Indications are that selection for high bunch index (the proportion of total dry matter used for bunch production) would be more effective than selection for yield in giving palms capable of yielding well at high density. Selection for high leaf area ratio or for short leaf rachises was not effective.
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Breure, C.J., Corley, R.H.V. Selection of oil palms for high density planting. Euphytica 32, 177–186 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00036878
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00036878