No abstract

A central objective in Verdant's mission is to develop better, more productive and more sustainable cultivars of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), rubber and other plantation crops, particularly through plant breeding. Field testing is an essential component in selecting and developing new varieties with superior performance for yield, quality, pest and disease resistance and in meeting new market demands, for example, specialised oil quality. This manual covers the basic and changing practices such as land preparation, planting and data recording of trials. Field trialling of oil palm includes breeding trials (selection within promising new genotypic combinations or germplasm), particularly by progeny testing to establish new commercial lines and identifying Ganoderma resistant/tolerant material (Ganoderma is the most important disease of oil palm in Southeast Asia, while Fusarium is in Africa). This manual forms part of a series in 'Techniques in Plantation Science', and fits 'in between' Nursery Practices in Oil Palm and Seed Production in Oil Palm. It follows on from Crossing in Oil Palm. Target audiences are plant breeders, planters, students and researchers in oil palm agriculture, along with plant breeders and end-users interested in the practicalities of producing high quality oil palm planting materials for breeding and commercial production.

Seed production processes for breeding follow the same basic processes as described for (Dura) commercial seed. Breeding seed may be either Dura (thick shelled) or Tenera (thin shelled). As in commercial production, oil palm breeding seeds require heat treatment before germination will start. Seed processing procedures described in Chapters 6-9 of this manual should be implemented, but the target is dependent on the numbers of germinated seeds required for breeding purposes, e.g. trialling. Also, Tenera seeds, which are thin shelled, are treated slightly differently to thick-shelled Dura seeds during the heating step to break dormancy. Normally, Tenera seeds have a lower germination rate compared to Duras, due to them being more susceptible to fungal attack.

This manual discusses first the history of cultivation and breeding, as well as the pollen and embryo sac biology, fertilization, germplasm and commercial crossing, of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Then, guidelines in health and safety issues relating to crossing in oil palm are given, followed by protocols on pollen collection and storage; pollen viability testing; isolation of the female inflorescence; pollination; and commercial tenera production. Target audiences of this manual are students and researchers in agriculture, plant breeders, growers and end-users interested in the practicalities of oil palm crossing for breeding and commercial seed production.

Pollen viability is essential for success in pollination. Fresh pollen shed from flowering male inflorescences has the highest viability, and it is this which is harvested and stored (Ekaratne and Senathirajah, 1983). Viability tests are carried out prior to processing pollen to ensure the harvested pollen has high viability, and again after storage to monitor viability decline with time in storage. Viability testing provides information on pollen quality and when resampling is required. It also determines the ratio of pollen:talc to be used to maximize pollination success with minimal impact on pollen stores. There are many methods that test pollen viability; the standard one described here is based on pollen germination, it is simple and inexpensive. Pollen with high viability is vital in promoting high seed set and acceptable seed numbers for oil palm breeding and commercial seed production, and various techniques have been developed to test for pollen viability (Nasution et al., 2009). Here, we provide a simple method using pollen culture and a light microscope.