International Journal of Oil Palm

Univanich Palm Oil PCL runs the largest oil palm breeding programme in Thailand and is a leading exporter of oil palm seeds. Its breeding strategies are specifically aimed to obtain planting materials that produce high yields in the strongly seasonal climate experienced by Thailand and elsewhere in monsoonal Asia.

The key genetic stocks in the programme are (1) improved Deli dura selections of Chemara and Dami ancestry, (2) the best duras from Unilever breeding programmes in Africa, obtained through the Combined Breeding Programme (3) pedigree pisiferas from INEAC/Binga through Yaligimba (4) proven pisiferas of Ekona origin and (5) novel AVROS populations being developed at Univanich. From these, and derivative populations, pollen and seed bearer palms are selected based on results of extensive, statisticallydesigned progeny trials. To ensure a strong genetic base, all selections begin from family means and variances followed by individual palm performance. The primary selection traits in the Univanich programme are high and stable Fruit Bunch (FFB) production, from measurements over at least five years, and high bunch oil content, also from multiple bunch analysis of each palm. Further short listing emphasises palms giving medium-sized bunches with large fruits and, based on vegetative and growth measurements, slow height increment growth and a high bunch index. Progeny test results and commercial field performances confirm these criteria to be important pre-requisites for achieving high fruit and oil yields in dry environments. As drought tolerance and yield stability are particularly important for the sub-tropics, specific work has been initiated on progenies derived from palms selected on stomatal conductance characteristics and cropping patterns.

To deliver consistently high quality commercial DxP seeds Univanich (1) only selects no more than the top 20% of duras in selected families and populations (2) selects to criteria significantly exceeding renowned benchmarks such as the Malaysian MS157 standard (3) produces to certified ISO 9001 audits 4) subjects its breeding programme and seed production to 6-monthly scrutiny by external oil palm breeding consultants 5) tests every DxP cross in its own nursery, which is also the largest permanent oil palm nursery in Thailand, and 6) plants its planting material with samples from other seed producers. While the best DxP crosses are reproduced as quality seeds for commercial planting elite individual palms serve as ortets for the company's tissue culture programme.

Results from trials and commercial fields show that with irrigation Univanich DxP planting materials start fruit production within two years of planting. First year production, recorded from 30 months after planting, averaged 18 t FFB/ha, increasing to an average 32 t/ha for years 4 to 7 after planting, with the best progenies yielding over 40 t/ha in some years. Without irrigation, cropping commenced 30 months after planting, and averaged 22 t/ha between years 4 and 7; many progenies yielding over 30 t/ha in the best single year. The detrimental effect of drought on pollination and oil formation notwithstanding, bunch analysis confirms Univanich DxP to produce, on average, between 25 - 26% oil content and 5% or more kernels while the best give close to 30% oil and 5% kernel content.