Performance of tenera × tenera progenies derived from Thodupuzha (Kerala) oil palm germplasm II. Bunch quality components

The individual palms (77 T, 146 T, 149 T, 132 D, 88 T, 27T, 117T, 114T, 69D, 99D, 42P and 45P) of Tenera × Tenera (614 T × 614 T, 137 T × 137 T, 323 T × 323 T, 648 T× 648 T, 65T × 323T, 663 T × 699 T) progenies (D- dura, TTenera and P-Pisifera), which were yielding more than 125 kg Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB)/palm/year (average of 2000–01 to 2004–05) were provisionally selected and subjected to bunch component analysis. Among the selected dura fruit palms, 69 D recorded high (24.8%) oil to bunch ratio followed by 99 D (19.4%) and 132 D (19.4%). They are not directly useful for hybrid seed production as their potentiality is confirmed only through progeny testing. The palm number 42Pfrom the cross of 663 T × 699 T recorded maximum oil to bunch (24.3%) and fruit to bunch (42.9%), whereas 45P showed low values (23.1%) for fruit to bunch. Above pisiferas (45P and 42P) are undesirable for seed production as they showed fairly good fruit set (fertile). Because, sterile pisiferas with very low or zero % fruit set only selected for hybrid seed production. Two Tenera palms (149 T from 614 T x 614 T and 114 T from 648 T × 648 T) showed promising bunch quality components which could be used as parental palms for producing progenies for new seed garden by inter se mating or selfing.