Summary
Selection criteria of dura female parents and pisifera male parents were investigated by employing a step-wise multiple regression procedure. Independent parental variables entered in the regression equation were (1) yield (Y) and (2) bunch index (BI), i.e. the proportion of total dry matter used for fruit bunches, of the female parents. As secondary characters of both parents were included: (3) leaf-Mg level (LMG), (4) leaf area ratio (LAR), i.e. the ratio of new leaf area produced to new dry matter used for vegetative growth, and (5) sex ratio (SR), i.e. the ratio of female to total inflorescences. The joint contribution of LMG in both parents accounted for 80% of the variance in Y of the offspring. The amount of the total variance in BI of the offspring was substantially explained, in decreasing order, by LMG of the pisifera parents, and Y and LAR of the dura parents. The first two variables explained 70% of the variation in offspring BI. SR and BI appeared to be not significant for explaining Y as well as BI of the offspring. A practical implication is that for pisifera testing programs, pisifera can be efficiently screened on the exclusive basis of LMG. Dura tester parents should be selected for high, and little variable, values of LMG, Y and LAR.
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Breure, C.J. Parent selection for yield and bunch index in the oil palm in West New Britain. Euphytica 35, 65–72 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00028542
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00028542