guide to oil palm seed varietiesyour preference for our oil palm planting materials encourages us to...

August, 2015

GUIDE TOOIL PALM SEED

VARIETIES

GUIDE TOOIL PALM SEED

VARIETIES

Your preference for our oil palm planting

materials encourages us to continue

innovating, so that we can offer you new

increasingly productive varieties to ensure

the profitability of your business. The

purpose of this manual is to guide you in

choosing the most appropriate variety for

the environmental conditions in your

region, especially with respect to rainfall,

temperature and solar radiation.

Most of ASD´s oil palm breeding program

is located in Coto, Costa Rica, an area that

has high rainfall and low solar radiation,

which fosters vigorous growth of the

plants. These conditions are favorable

for genetic improvement, since they allow

the selection and development of

slow-growing varieties and clones with

short leaves, without the problem of

having the response masked by climatic

factors.

The information given is for the different

characteristics of the varieties at Coto,

Costa Rica, where photographs were

taken for illustration purposes. In

addition to the descriptions of ASD´s

“High Density, “Premium”, “Standard” and

“Special” varieties, this manual includes

information about a new interspecific

hybrid variety.

Introduction

Challenger(High density variety)

The genetics of the Challenger variety refers to advanced generations of the variety formerly known as Compact x Ghana. This variety is the outcome of crossing mother palms (dura), originating from the successive backcrossing of a natural E. oleifera x E. guineensis hybrid with E. guineensis, with parental pisifera lines originating in Nigeria (NIFOR).

Commercial seeds of the Challenger variety come from mother palms from the second filial generation (F2) of the second backcross of a population with reduced growth, originally known as the compact population, which were planted in Coto from 1995 to 2009. These mothers are crossed with fathers (pisiferas) that descend from a population called Calabar that originated in Nigeria, whose initial selection and breeding process was carried out in Ghana, from where it was introduced to Costa Rica in 1981. Today, pisifera progenitors from the first and second generation of breeding done in Costa Rica and planted from 1997 to 2010 are used.

Challenger fruits and bunches are medium-sized and their oil content is very high. Palms of this variety stand out for having leaves and trunk significantly shorter than the common E. guineensis varieties, and they can be planted at up to 170 palms per hectare. Challenger is extremely precocious and fresh fruit production commonly exceeds 30 tons by the third harvest year under

favorable management, soil and weather conditions. In smallholder plantations in Thailand with irrigation and good agronomic management, yields of up to 45 tons of fresh fruit per hectare are sometimes obtained by the fourth harvest year with this variety. Challenger also shows good tolerance to the crown disease/common spear rot complex and it has a low incidence of red ring disease, since its short leaves create a less favorable environment for the palm weevil (Rhynchophorus palmarum), the vector of the disease.

6-year old Challenger palm variety in Coto, Costa Rica

BACKGROUND

Challenger(High density variety)

Variable Year of production 1 2 3 4 5Number of bunches/palm/year 8 22 19 22 19Average bunch weight (kg) 4.5 5.7 8.4 10.4 12.6Production per palm (kg/year) 36 125 160 229 238Production per hectare/year (tons) 6.1 21.3 27.2 38.9 40.4

Area planted: 38,930 ha in tropical America, 12,000 ha in Asia and 830 ha in Africa.

VARIETAL PRODUCTIVITY

Pre-nursery stage* 70 daysNursery stage 330 daysPlanting density 170 palms/haStem growth rate 55 cm/yearArea of leaf 17 by year 5 6.8 m Start of harvest after planting in the field 22 monthsLength of the petiole of leaf 17 by the fifth year 117 cmLength of leaf 17 by the fifth year 547 cm

*From the planting of the seed to plants with 6 leaves.

AGRONOMIC TRAITS

2

Sex ratio at 26 months 90 %Accumulated production per hectare by the fifth harvest year 133.9 tFertile fruits in the bunch 55 %Parthenocarpic fruits in the bunch 13 %Weight of fertile fruits 11 gOil in the dry mesocarp (pulp) 78 %Oil in the bunch (laboratory) 28.5 %Oil extraction potential (OER) by the fifth year 24.8 %Palmitic acid 40.1 %Oleic acid 40.8 %Linoleic acid 11.4 %

PRODUCTION AND OIL INDICES

Avalanche(High density variety)

The genetics of the Avalanche variety refers to advanced generations of the variety formerly known as Compact x Nigeria. This variety comes from the crossing of mother palms (duras), originating from the successive backcrossing of a E. oleifera x E. guineensis natural hybrid with E. guineensis, with parental lines originating in Nigeria (NIFOR).

Commercial Avalanche variety seeds come from the second filial generation (F2) of the second backcross for a population with reduced growth, originally known as the compact population, whose mother palms were planted from 1995 to 2009. These mothers are crossed with fathers (pisiferas) that descended from a population derived in the regions of Calabar, Ufuma and Aba (Nigeria), whose initial selection and breeding process was carried out in Ghana; it was introduced to Costa Rica in 1979. Today, elite pisifera progenitors from the first and second generation, planted from 1997 to 2010, are used for breeding done in Costa Rica.

Avalanche bunches are medium-sized and their oil content is very high. The palms of this variety feature shorter leaves and trunk than the common E. guineensis varieties and can be planted at 160 palms per

hectare. Avalanche is extremely precocious and fresh fruit production commonly exceeds 30 tons by the third year of harvest in favorable conditions of management, weather and soils. In plantations of smallholders in Thailand with irrigation and good agronomic management, production of up to 45 tons of fresh fruit per hectare are often achieved by the fourth harvest year with this variety.

6-year old Avalanche palm variety in Coto, Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND

Avalanche(High density variety)


Area planted: 23,370 ha in tropical America and 5,960 ha in Asia.


Pre-nursery stage* 70 daysNursery stage 300 daysPlanting density 160 palms/haStem growth rate 53 cm/yearArea of leaf 17 by year 5 7.3 m Start of harvest after planting in the field 22 monthsLength of petiole of leaf 17 by the fourth year 123 cmLength of leaf 17 by the fourth year 659 cm


AGRONOMIC TRAITS

2


PRODUCTION AND OIL TRAITS

Themba(High density variety)

The genetics of the Themba variety refers to advanced generations of the variety formerly known as Deli x Ghana.

The ASD dura mother palms are descendants of the four original Deli palms introduced from Africa to Sumatra, Indonesia. During the period 1970 to 1980, ASD introduced genetically improved palms of Deli origin into Costa Rica from renowned oil palm breeding centers such as MARDI (Malaysian Agricultural Research Institute), Chemara Research Center and the Banting Research Station in Malaysia, DAMI in New Guinea and SOCFIN in Indonesia.

Themba variety commercial seeds come from superior mother palms from the fourth filial generation (F4) of the populations of Deli dura mothers described above, which were planted in Coto, Costa Rica from 1996 to 2008. These mothers are crossed with fathers that descend from a population called Calabar, originating in Nigeria, whose initial selection and breeding process was carried out in Ghana, from where it was introduced to Costa Rica in 1981. Today, superior pisifera progenitors are used from the first and second generations of the breeding done in Costa Rica and planted from 1997 to 2010.

Themba has moderate vertical growth and produces bunches of good size with large, well-formed fruits. It also features short leaves, a trait that allows it to be

planted at 160 palms per hectare. Other advantages of this variety are that it performs very well in varied environments, including areas with annual water deficits of up to 300 mm, areas with low solar radiation, and highlands. On plantations in Uganda and Zambia at elevations higher than 1,000 m above sea level, Themba is performing very well. This variety also shows good tolerance to the crown disease/common spear rot complex and it has a low incidence of red ring disease, since its shorter leaf length creates a less favorable environment for the palm weevil (Rhynchophorus palmarum), the vector of the disease.

6-year old Themba palm variety in Coto, Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND

Themba(High density variety)

Variable Year of production 1 2 3 4 5Number of bunches/palm/year 10 14 21 18 16Average bunch weight (kg) 5.6 7.0 8.7 10.8 13.1Production per palm (kg/year) 56 98 183 197 213Production per hectare/year (ton.) 9.0 15.7 30.2 31.3 34.1

Area planted: 255,760 ha in tropical America, 143,950 ha in Asia and 16,830 ha in Africa.




AGRONOMIC TRAITS

2

Sex ratio at 26 months 96 %Accumulated production per hectare by the fifth harvest year 120.3 tFertile fruits in the bunch 63 %Parthenocarpic fruits in the bunch 10 %Weight of fertile fruits 12 gOil in the dry mesocarp (pulp) 74 %Oil in the bunch (laboratory) 27.5 %Oil extraction potential (OER) by the fifth year 23.9 %Palmitic acid 42.7%Oleic acid 38.5%Linoleic acid 10.8%


Supreme(High density variety)

The genetics of the Supreme variety refers to advanced generations of the variety formerly known as Deli x Compact, which comes from the crossing of Deli dura palms (Bogor, Java), with compact pisifera palms, originating from the successive backcrossing of a natural E. oleifera x E. guineensis hybrid with E. guineensis.

Supreme variety commercial seeds come from the third and fourth filial generations (F3 and F4) of the Deli dura population introduced from renowned genetic oil palm breeding centers such as MARDI (Malaysian Agricultural Research Institute), Chemara Research Center and the Banting Research Station in Malaysia, DAMI in New Guinea and SOCFIN in Indonesia. The current mother palms were planted from 1996 to 2008.

These mothers from advanced generations are crossed with fathers (pisiferas) descending from a population with reduced growth, originally known as the compact population, exclusive to ASD, which were planted in Coto from 1996 to 2008. Today, ASD uses superior pisifera progenitors from the second and third generations for breeding done in Costa Rica.

Supreme palms feature leaves and trunk that are considerably shorter than the common E. guineensis varieties and they can be planted at 160 palms per hectare. Their bunches are

medium-sized, rounded and well formed, with large fruits. Like the other high density varieties, Supreme is very precocious and fresh fruit production commonly exceeds 30 tons by the third harvest year under favorable management, soil and weather conditions. In plantations of smallholders in Thailand with irrigation and good agronomic management, yields of up to 45 tons of fresh fruit per hectare are often obtained by the fourth harvest year with this variety. Supreme also shows some tolerance to spear rots.

6-year old Supreme palm variety in Coto, Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND

Supreme(High density variety)


Area planted: 27,360 ha in tropical America, 18,590 ha in Asia and 700 ha in Africa.


Pre-nursery stage 70 daysNursery stage 300 daysPlanting density 160 palms/haStem growth rate 55 cm/yearArea of leaf 17 by year 5 8.0 m Start of harvest after planting in the field 22 monthsLength of the petiole of leaf 17 by the fifth year 127 cmLength of leaf 17 by the fifth year 639 cm


AGRONOMIC TRAITS

2



Evolution Blue(High density variety)

This variety is the outcome of crossing mother palms (dura) originating from the successive backcrossing of a natural E. oleifera x E. guineensis hybrid with E. guineensis, with parental lines that originated in New Guinea.

Commercial seeds of the Evolution Blue variety, come from the first and second filial generations (F1 and F2) from the second backcross of a population with reduced growth, originally known as the compact population, which were planted from 1995 to 2009. These superior mothers are crossed with fathers that descend from a population called Evolution, whose initial selection process was carried out at DAMI OPRS, New Guinea, from where it was introduced to Costa Rica in 1979. Today, pisifera progenitors from the first and second generations for breeding done in Costa Rica, which were planted from 1990 to 2010, are used. Evolution Blue palms feature leaves and trunk that are considerably shorter than the common E. guineensis varieties, and they can be planted at 160 palms per hectare. Theirbunches are large and well formed, with large fruits. Like other high density varieties,

Evolution Blue is very precocious and fresh fruit production reaches 30 tons by year three of production under favorable management, soil and weather conditions. This is the most recent ASD variety and to date it has only been planted commercially in Guatemala, where it is showing excellent initial performance.

5-year old Evolution Blue palm variety in Coto, Costa Rica

BACKGROUND

Evolution Blue(High density variety)


Area planted: 52 ha in tropical America.




AGRONOMIC TRAITS

2

Sex ratio at 26 months 95 %Accumulated production per hectare by the fifth harvest year 125.6 tFertile fruits in the bunch 69 %Parthenocarpic fruits in the bunch 2 %Weight of fertile fruits 13 gOil in the dry mesocarp (pulp) 86 %Oil in the bunch (laboratory) 30.0 %Oil extraction potential (OER) by the fifth year 26.1 %


Amazon(OxG Hybrid)

This variety comes from the crossing of E. oleifera mother palms originating from native palms of the Manaus region of Brazil, with parental lines (pisiferas) originating from the successive backcrossing of a natural hybrid (E. guineensis x E. oleifera) with E. guineensis lines that are known as compact lines. Therefore, Amazon is an interspecific hybrid containing 56.25% oleifera genes. The commercial seeds of this variety come from the crossing of Manaus mother palms of the second filial generation (F2), with fathers from advanced populations (third and fourth generation) of “compact” origin.

Amazon palms are highly tolerant to the spear rots present in several regions of Central and South America, with the added advantage of having leaves that are shorter than other OxG hybrids, so they can be planted at 128-135 palms per hectare. Furthermore, this variety is easier to harvest because the petiole is slimmer and both natural and assisted pollination are much easier and efficient due to low coverage by the spathes they have on their

bunches. In areas such as Tumaco, Colombia and San Lorenzo, Ecuador, Amazon is showing high precocity, fresh fruit bunch production in the first three years of harvest clearly superior to the other OxG hybrids, and commercial oil extraction of around 22%.

6-year old Amazon palm variety in Coto, Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND

Amazon(OxG Hybrid)


Planted area: 8,620 ha in tropical America, 65 ha in Asia and 70 ha in Africa.


Prenursery stage * 70 daysNursery stage 300 daysPlanting density 135 palms/haStem growth rate 25 cm/yearArea of leaf 17 by year 5 7.1 m Start of pollination after planting in the field 22 monthsStart of harvest following planting in the field 28 monthsDuration of floral anthesis 4 daysSpathes covering the inflorescence in young palms Low (25-50 %) Length of petiole on leaf 17 by the fourth year 140 cmLength of leaf 17 by the fourth year 450 cm

*From planting of seed to plants with 6 leaves.

AGRONOMIC TRAITS

2

Sex ratio at 26 months 90%Accumulated production per hectare by the fifth harvest year 123.6 tFertile fruits on the bunch with assisted pollination 55%Fruits on the bunch with assisted pollination 10%Weight of fertile fruits by second year of production 12 gWeight of parthenocarpic fruits by second year of production 6 gOil in dry mesocarp (pulp) 75%Oil in bunch (laboratory) by the third year of production 24.2 %Oil extraction potential (OER) by the fifth year 21.0 %Palmitic acid 32.0 %Oleic acid 50.1 %Linoleic acid 13.6 %


Spring(Premium variety)

The genetics of the Spring variety refers to advanced generations of the variety formerly known as Deli x Nigeria.

ASD dura mother palms are descendants of the four original Deli palms introduced from Africa to Sumatra, Indonesia. During the period 1970 to 1980, ASD introduced genetically improved palms of Deli origin into Costa Rica from renowned oil palm breeding centers such as MARDI (Malaysian Agricultural Research Institute), Chemara Research Center and the Banting Research Station in Malaysia, DAMI in New Guinea and SOCFIN in Indonesia.

Spring variety commercial seed production use mother palms of the fourth filial generation (F4) of the Deli dura populations described above. ASD selected mother palms from these populations and planted them in Coto, Costa Rica from 1996 to 2008. ASD currently crosses these mother palms with superior pisiferas originating from a combined population of indigenous materials from the regions of Calabar, Ufuma and Aba in Nigeria. The Oil Palm Research Institute (OPRI) in Ghana did the initial selection and breeding of these pisiferas, a process that has continued in Costa Rica since 1979. For commercial seed production, pisiferas are used from the first and second breeding generations, planted from 1997 to 2010.

Spring variety vertical growth is moderate, but because its leaves are of normal length, it is planted at the standard density of 143 palms per hectare. This variety produces large bunches and approximately 50% of the palms have fruits with the virescens color. Virescens fruits are green in color when unripe and bright orange when ripe; that trait makes it easy to identify bunches with an optimal degree of ripening at harvest time. Spring is a very precocious variety and its fresh fruit production commonly exceeds 30 tons per hectare by the third year of production when management, weather and soil conditions are favorable.

4-year old Spring palm variety in Coto, Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND

Spring(Premium variety)






AGRONOMIC TRAITS

2

Sex ratio at 26 months 96 %Accumulated production per hectare by the fifth harvest year 121 tFertile fruits in the bunch 63 %Parthenocarpic fruits in the bunch 6 %Weight of fertile fruits 10 gOil in the dry mesocarp (pulp) 81 %Oil in the bunch (laboratory) 27.5 %Oil extraction potential (OER) by the fifth year 23.9 %Palmitic acid 43.3 %Oleic acid 38.0 %Linoleic acid 10.7 %


La Mé(Standard variety)

The genetics of the La Mé variety refers to advanced generations of the variety formerly known as Deli x La Mé.

The dura mother palms of this variety are descendants of the four original Deli palms introduced from Africa to Sumatra, Indonesia. During the period 1970 to 1980, ASD introduced genetically improved palms of Deli origin into Costa Rica from renowned oil palm breeding centers such as MARDI (Malaysian Agricultural Research Institute), Chemara Research Center and the Banting Research Station in Malaysia, DAMI in New Guinea and SOCFIN in Indonesia.

Commercial seeds of the La Mé variety come from the third and fourth filial generations (F3 and F4) of the Deli dura mother populations mentioned above. Current mother palms were planted in Coto from 1996 to 2008. These mothers are crossed with fathers that descend from a population of La Mé origin, whose initial selection and breeding process was carried out in Ivory Coast, from where it was introduced to Costa Rica in 1979. For current seed production, pisifera progenitors from the first and second generations for breeding done in Costa Rica and planted from 1991 to 2010 are used.

The La Mé variety has moderate vertical growth, but since its leaves are of normal length, planting at 143 palms per hectare is recommended. This variety produces medium-sized bunches with small fruits and moderate oil content. La Mé stands out for its good tolerance to drought and shows average tolerance to the crown disease/common spear rot complex. Like all the varieties that ASD produces, La Mé does not require assisted pollination.

4-year old La Mé palm variety in Coto, Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND

La Mé(Standard variety)






AGRONOMIC TRAITS

2



Kigoma(Special variety)

The genetics of the Kigoma variety refers to advanced generations of the variety formerly known as Tanzania x Ekona, whose maternal lines were developed in Costa Rica based on germplasm introduced from the highlands of Tanzania, near Lake Victoria (altitude 800 to 1,000 m above sea level).

The current mother palms of the Kigoma variety correspond to the first and second filial generations (F1 and F2) developed in Costa Rica. These mothers are crossed with fathers that descend from the Ekona population, whose initial selection and breeding process was carried out in Cameroon, from where it was introduced to Costa Rica in 1970. Today pisifera progenitors from the first and second generation for breeding carried out in Costa Rica, which were planted from 1987 to 2010, are used.

This variety has moderate vertical growth and is planted at the normal density of 143 palms per hectare. Its bunches are medium-sized with high oil content and its fruits, although medium-sized, have a large kernel with a very thin shell. The Kigoma

variety stands out for its good tolerance to drought and low temperatures. On plantations in Uganda and Zambia located above 1,000 masl, the palms show outstanding performance. In Costa Rica they show good tolerance to the crown disease/common spear rot complex and to spear rot.

4-year old Kigoma palm variety in Coto, Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND

Kigoma(Special variety)






AGRONOMIC TRAITS

2

Sex ratio at 26 months 80 %Accumulated production per hectare by the fifth harvest year 98.8 tFertile fruits in the bunch 67 %Parthenocarpic fruits in the bunch 2 %Weight of fertile fruits 8.0 gOil in the dry mesocarp (pulp) 82 %Oil in the bunch (laboratory) 27.0 %Oil extraction potential (OER) by the fifth year 23.5 %Palmitic acid 43.3%Oleic acid 38.0%Linoleic acid 10.7%


The genetics of the Bamenda variety refer to advanced generations of the variety formerly known as Bamenda x Ekona, whose maternal lines were developed in Costa Rica based on materials from the highlands in the Bamenda region, Cameroon (elevation approximately 1,200 m above sea level).

Commercial Bamenda seeds come from mother palms of the second filial generation (F2) developed in Costa Rica. These mothers are crossed with fathers that descend from the Ekona population, whose initial selection and breeding process was carried out in Cameroon from where it was introduced into Costa Rica in 1970. Today, pisifera progenitors from the first and second generations, planted from 1987 to 2010, are used for seed production in Coto.

The Bamenda variety has slow vertical growth, but since it has leaves of normal length it is planted at 143 palms per hectare. Its bunches are medium-size with small fruits, with a moderate oil content. Bamenda palms tolerate stress conditions well, particularly low

temperatures and drought. This variety also shows good tolerance to the crown disease/common spear rot complex and in areas affected by spear rots; it has shown a low rate of increase for this disorder, slight symptoms and rapid recovery. It has also shown good tolerance to the disease known as sudden wither (marchitez sorpresiva).

5-year old Bamenda palm variety in Coto, Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND

Bamenda(Special variety)

Bamenda(Special variety)


Area planted: 5,530 ha in tropical America, 578 ha in Asia and 1,430 ha in Africa.




AGRONOMIC TRAITS

2

Sex ratio at 26 months 80 %Accumulated production per hectare by the fifth harvest year 87.6 tNormal fruits in the bunch 69 %Parthenocarpic fruits in the bunch 3 %Normal fruit weight 6.0 gOil in the dry mesocarp (pulp) 71 %Oil in the bunch (laboratory) 25.5 %Oil extraction potential (OER) by the fifth year 22.2 %Palmitic acid 43.9 %Oleic acid 37.5 %Linoleic acid 10.5 %


Ph: (506) 2257-2666 / 2284-1120

Fax: (506) 2257-2667

P.O. BOX 30-1000,

San José, Costa Rica.

E-mail: [email protected]

www.asd-cr.com

guide to oil palm seed varietiesyour preference for our oil palm planting materials encourages us to...

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