Oil palm breeding and seed production in Ghana
1968
van der VOSSEN, H.A.M., Oil Palm Research Centre, Crops Research Institute, P.O. Box 43, Kade (Ghana)
Domestic production of palm oil (SOOO-1000 t/year) is inadequate to meet an internal demand estimated at 60 OOD-SO000 t/year. The principal work of the Oil Palm Research Centre near Kade is therefore the production of high-quality oil palm seed for use as planting material. A wide range of parent breeding stock has been introduced and a breeding and seed production programme (dura (and Deli dura) xpisifera hybrids), similar to that at NIFOR, is in progress. About 150 acres of breeding and selection fields have been planted. Pollination techniques used are an adaptation of those used by NIFOR and IRHO. Pollen is stored under vacuum at low temperature (-lS°C). Pollen storage experiments have shown that good viability of pollen may be maintained for 4-5 months if stored under vacuum at 25-30°C. Vacuum storage has made it possible to supply special-grade pisifera pollen from the OPRC to the five outstations where seeds are produced on individually selected dura palms. Present production of seed is 1m. It is expected that the OPRC alone will produce an estimated 3m. special-grade seeds by 1975, sufficient to meet demand, after which time the outstations will be dispensable.
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