Raimundo Nonato Vieira da Cunha

Oil palm natural diversity and the potential for yield improvement

African oil palm has the highest productivity amongst cultivated oleaginous crops. Species can constitute a single crop capable to fulfill the growing global demand for vegetable oils, which is estimated to reach 240 million tons by 2050. Two types of vegetable oil are extracted from the palm fruit on commercial scale. The crude palm oil and kernel palm oil have different fatty acid profiles, which increases versatility of the crop in industrial applications. Plantations of the current varieties have economic life-span around 25–30 years and produce fruits around the year. Thus, predictable annual palm oil supply enables marketing plans and adjustments in line with the economic forecasts. Oil palm cultivation is one of the most profitable land uses in the humid tropics. Oil palm fruits are the richest plant source of pro-vitamin A and vitamin E. Hence, crop both alleviates poverty, and could provide a simple practical solution to eliminate global pro-vitamin A deficiency. Oil palm is a perennial, evergreen tree adapted to cultivation in biodiversity rich equatorial land areas. The growing demand for the palm oil threatens the future of the rain forests and has a large negative impact on biodiversity. Plant science faces three major challenges to make oil palm the key element of building the future sustainable world. The global average yield of 3.5 tons of oil per hectare (t) should be raised to the full yield potential estimated at 11–18t. The tree architecture must be changed to lower labor intensity and improve mechanization of the harvest. Oil composition should be tailored to the evolving needs of the food, oleochemical and fuel industries. The release of the oil palm reference genome sequence in 2013 was the key step toward this goal. The molecular bases of agronomically important traits can be and are beginning to be understood at the single base pair resolution, enabling gene-centered breeding and engineering of this remarkable crop.

Repetibilidade da produção de cachos de híbridos interespecíficos entre o caiaué e o dendezeiro

RESUMO A hibridacao interespecifica entre o caiaue ( Elaeis oleifera (Kunth) Cortes) e o dendezeiro (E. guineensis Jacq.) tem sido explorada com o objetivo de desenvolver cultivares tao produtivas quanto as de dendezeiro, aliada a resistencia a pragas e doencas, principalmente o amarelecimento fatal, elevada taxa de acidos graxos insaturados e reducao de porte caracteristicas do caiaue. Por ser uma cultura perene com longo ciclo de producao, alem dos altos custos para manutencao e avaliacao dos experimentos de melhoramento genetico, e necessario definir o periodo minimo de avaliacao para que a selecao dos hibridos seja realizada com eficiencia e minimo dispendio de tempo e recursos. Este estudo teve como objetivo estimar os coeficientes de repetibilidade dos caracteres numero de cachos, peso total de cachos e peso medio de cachos de hibridos interespecificos e definir o numero de anos consecutivos de avaliacao necessario para selecao eficiente dos melhores cruzamentos e individuos. Os coeficientes de repetibilidade foram estimados pelos metodos da analise de variância, componentes principais com base na matriz de covariância (CPCV) e de correlacoes, e analise estrutural com base na matriz de correlacoes. O metodo dos CPCV demonstrou ser o mais adequado para o estudo da repetibilidade da producao de cachos, indicando quatro anos consecutivos de avaliacao para selecionar progenies, representadas por dez plantas, com coeficientes de determinacao (R 2 ) superiores a 85%, e que para selecao individual de plantas sao necessarios pelo menos seis anos consecutivos de avaliacao para atingir R 2 superior a 80%. PalavRaS-chavE: Elaeis guineensis, Elaeis oleifera, hibridacao, melhoramento genetico.

Produção de cachos e parâmetros genéticos de híbridos de caiaué com dendezeiro

The objective of this work was to evaluate the bunch yield and to estimate the genetic parameters of F1-progenies between caiaue (Elaeis oleifera) and African oil palm (E. guineenses). The progenies were planted in plots with a variable number of plants. The number of bunches (NB), average bunch weight (ABW), and fresh fruit-bunch yield (FFB) were evaluated, per plant, from the seventh to the thirteenth year after planting. These data were analyzed by REML/BLUP in 59 progenies, with a row-and-column unbalanced design. All characters showed a considerable genetic variability, with genetic variation coefficients between 18.1 and 25.5% for progenies, and 25.6 and 36.0% for individuals. Gains of more than 30%, for NB and FFB, and above 20% for ABW can be obtained selecting the five best progenies. By selecting the five best individuals, gains of more than 65% for NB and FFB, and above 60% for ABW, can be obtained. The progenies show a high-genetic variability for bunch yield. High-genetic gains can be obtained by selecting both for individuals, for clonal propagation, and for progenies, for seed propagation.

Heat-treatment and germination of oil palm seeds (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

Under natural conditions the germination of oil palm seeds may take years, and it is usually uneven and has a very low rate. To increase the germination rate it is necessary to break the dormancy, through heat-treatment (HT). In the germination of oil palm seeds produced by Embrapa Western Amazon the HT used is at 40 °C during 80 days. The objective of this study was to evaluate the periods of 40, 50, 60 and 80 days of HT at 40 °C on seeds germination of six oil palm cultivars BRS C2001, BRS C2328, BRS C2501, BRS C2528, BRS C3701 and BRS C7201. The statistical design was randomized block, 6 x 4 factorial, with four replications of 500 seeds each. The minimum HT period for maximum germination ranged from 45 days for BRS C2328 (70%) to 80 days for BRS C2528 (84%). For BRS C7201 was not observed significant effect of the HT period for seed germination, estimated as 82%. The maximum germination of oil palm seeds varies with the duration of heat treatment. With the exception of cultivar BRS C2528, heat treatment may be less than 80 days.

Germinação in vitro de pólen de híbridos interespecíficos entre o caiaué e o dendezeiro

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro pollen germination of interespecifics hybrids between caiaue and oil palm (varieties dura, tenera and pisifera). The percentage of pollen germination (PPG) of hybrids ranged from 54.8% to 58.3%. The averages of hybrids and caiaue (73.1%) did not differ statistically, but were lower than the oil palm (84.8%). The germination of pollen of hybrids is sufficient for the successful of crosses in interespecific breeding programmes between caiaue and oil palm.

Seed biometric parameters in oil palm accessions from a Brazilian germplasm bank

The objective of this work was to evaluate the morphological diversity of oil palm seeds and to cluster the accessions according to their morphological characteristics. Forty-one accessions from the oil palm germplasm bank of Embrapa Amazonia Ocidental were evaluated - 18 of Elaeis oleifera and 23 of E. guineensis. The groups were formed based on morphological characteristics, by principal component analysis. In E. oleifera, four groups were formed, tied to their region of origin, but with significant morphological differences between accessions from the same population. For tenera-type E. guineensis seeds, three widely divergent groups were formed, especially as to external parameters, which differentiated them from the other ones. The parameter endocarp thickness stood out in intra- and inter-population differentiation. For dura-type E. guineensis, three groups were formed, with larger seeds and thicker endocarps, which differed from all the other ones. The variability observed for seed characteristics in the analyzed accessions allows the establishment of different groups, to define strategies for genetic improvement.

Influência da disposição dos tubetes e da aplicação de fertilizantes de liberação lenta, durante o pré-viveiro, no crescimento de mudas de dendezeiro ( Elaeis guineensis Jacq.).

This research had as objective to verify the influence in growth, nutrition and dry matter partition in oil palm seedling by type and dosages of slow release fertilizers (SRF) and percentage of tray occupation by plastic containers during pre-nursery. The experiment consisted of 16 treatments, in factorial scheme: two types of SRF (Osmocote® e Basacote mini), two dosages (0 and 3 kg/m 3 ) and four schemes for the container distribution used to attain 100%, 66%, 50% and 25% of tray occupation. An additional treatment composed of 15 x 15 cm plastic bags filled with soil was added. Pre-germinated seeds of oil palm were put in plastic containers of 120 cm 3 containing substratum and in plastic bags containing soil. After three months, the seedlings were transplanted to 40 x 40 cm plastic bags containing soil. At this time, height, diameter, dry matter and concentration of N, P, K, Ca and Mg were evaluated. After 10 months, seedlings were evaluated for height and diameter and after 16 months, seedlings had the height, diameter and dry matter weight evaluated. Addition of SRF was fundamental for seedlings development. Different percentages of tray occupation by containers during pre-nursery did not influence height and diameter of oil palm seedlings at 10 and 16 months old. The evaluation after 10 months showed that plants fertilized with Osmocote® were higher than those fertilized with Basacote mini. The evaluations after 16 months showed that plants fertilized during the pre-nursery had higher height, diameter and leaflets, leaf, aboveground and total dry matter than plants not fertilized.

Stress and cell cycle regulation during somatic embryogenesis plays a key role in oil palm callus development

Oil palm is an oleaginous plant of relevant economic importance since its fruits are rich in vegetable oil. These plants have a single apical meristem and the main method for vegetative propagation is somatic embryogenesis. The aim of this study was to identify differentially abundant proteins from oil palm genotypes contrasting in the capacity of embryogenic competence acquisition, using shotgun proteomics. Oil palm leaves were subjected to callus induction and the material was collected in biological triplicates at 14 and 90 days of callus induction. LC-MS/MS analysis was performed and revealed a total of 4695 proteins. Responsive and non-responsive genotypes were compared at 14 and 90 days of callus induction and 221 differentially abundant proteins were obtained. The data analysis revealed several proteins mainly related to energy metabolism, stress response and regulation of cell cycle, further analyzed by qRT-PCR, which seem important for embryogenic development. We suggest some of these proteins as key factors for the success of callus formation in oil palm including antioxidant and cell division proteins as well as proteins involved in the ubiquitination pathway. These proteins may also be potential biomarkers for the acquisition of embryogenic competence. SIGNIFICANCE: Antioxidant and cell division proteins as well as proteins involved in the ubiquitination pathway are key factors for the success of callus formation in oil palm. The proteins identified in this study may be potential biomarkers for embryogenic competence acquisition.

SISTEMA DE PRODUÇÃO DE MUDAS EM HÍBRIDOS INTERESPECÍFICOS ENTRE CAIAUÉ E DENDÊ

The objective of this study was to evaluate three systems of seedling production of interspecific hybrids of American oil palm and African oil palm (HIE), difference between 12 sib progenies of BRS Manicore cultivar and the interaction between these two factors. The production systems were evaluated: (i) two-stage nursery with the initial shading (conventional system), (ii) two-stage nursery without shading and (iii) one-stage nursery without shading. The variables evaluated were plant height, number of leaves and stem diameter at 106, 191 and 393 days after sowing. In all variables and periods analyzed, the genotype and environmental factors were significant to F test, but the interaction genotype x environment was not significant. The best development of seedlings in the nursery production system occurred in one-step nursery without shading. The two stages nursery with shading in pre-nursery, which is currently the most widely adopted, resulted in lower seedling development.