Status of Indigenous Oil Palm Hybrid Seed Production

India started commercial hybrid seed production in 1984 by exploiting genetic material introduced to Thodupuzha, Kerala from Malaysia and Nigeria. Intense selection on the Thodupuzha descendants by selfing/inter se crossing gave rise to present advanced dura and TXT populations planted in different seed gardens namely Lakshmipuram, Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh), Taraka (Karnataka), Thodupuzha and Palode (Kerala). Two advanced breeding materials from ASD Costa Rica was imported under UNDP sub-programme “Breeding for Seed Production” were planted as seed garden at National Research Centre for Oil Palm, Pedavegi during 2000. Apart from indigenous production, bulks of exotic planting materials have been imported from different exotic sources. The details of different seed gardens and their current seed production potential with special emphasis to Palode seed production centre and the performance of indigenous planting materials has been discussed in this paper.