The yield potential of nifor elite oil palm tenera hybrids under the Nigerian growing condition

In the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), the yield of oil per hectare within a given period of time is determined by the total weight of fresh fruit bunch (FFB) the oil to bunch (O/B) ratio. The improvement in fruit and bunch quality components of yield is generally a straight forward process due to the limited influence of the environment on the expression of these traits. Selection for FFB yield on the other hand, is more difficult due to the profound influence of the environment. It is not uncommon to find within a progeny plot, palms which yield 100-200 percent above the progeny mean, a variation which to a great extent reflects the differences in the microclimate in which the palms are grown. Thus in discussing the yield potential of the oil palm, the prevailing environmental conditions must be brought into focus. The biology of the oil palm confers its unique characteristics which enables it to respond to the wide range of environmental differences in the various tropical climates in which it is extensively grown. Rees (1989) in examining climatic and biological limitations to yield in the oil palm, noted that amongst other features, most importantly it is its indeterminate growth, an evergreen habit combined with the production of large, long-lived leaves and an inflorescence in the axil of each leaf after a short juvenile period imposes a lack of plasticity in the plants response to environmental changes. The oil palm is indigenous to West and Central Africa where it has evolved to survive in seasonal climatic conditions. Today the crop is grown extensively in most tropical countries where the climate is much less seasonal and more favorable for greater productivity. This is consistent with the experience of many crop plants where highest productivity is achieved in environments away from the pests and diseases and that have evolved with the crop. The most pertinent example is the Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum Linn.) whose native home is in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia where the crop yield is currently no where to be compared to the tuber yields of leading varieties in Western Europe and America. Man takes advantage of these more favorable environments