Seed Production in Oil Palm: A Manual Techniques in Plantation Science Series Series editors: Brian P. Forster, Lead Scientist, Verdant Bioscience, Indonesia Peter D.S. Caligari, Science Strategy Executive Director, Verdant Bioscience, Indonesia About the series: A series of manuals covering techniques in plantation science that form the essential underlying needs to carry out plantation science. The series reflects the expertise in Verdant Bioscience that underlies the plantation science activities carried out at the Verdant Plantation Science Centre at Timbang Deli, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Titles available: 1. Crossing in Oil Palm: A Manual – Umi Setiawati, Baihaqi Sitepu, Fazrin Nur, Brian P. Forster and Sylvester Dery 2. Seed Production in Oil Palm: A Manual – Eddy S. Kelanaputra, Stephen P.C. Nelson, Umi Setiawati, Baihaqi Sitepu, Fazrin Nur, Brian P. Forster and Abdul R. Purba 3. Nursery Screening for Ganoderma Response in Oil Palm Seedlings: A Manual – Miranti Rahmaningsih, Ike Virdiana, Syamsul Bahri, Yassier Anwar, Brian P. Forster and Frédéric Breton 4. Mutation Breeding in Oil Palm: A Manual – Fazrin Nur, Brian P. Forster, Samuel A. Osei, Samuel Amiteye, Jennifer Ciomas, Soeranto Hoeman and Ljupcho Jankuloski Seed Production in Oil Palm: A Manual Eddy S. Kelanaputra Verdant Bioscience, Indonesia Stephen P.C. Nelson Verdant Bioscience, Singapore Umi Setiawati Verdant Bioscience, Indonesia Baihaqi Sitepu Verdant Bioscience, Indonesia Fazrin Nur Verdant Bioscience, Indonesia Brian P. Forster Verdant Bioscience, Indonesia Abdul R. Purba Indonesian Oil Palm Research Institute, Indonesia CABI is a trading name of CAB International CABI CABI Nosworthy Way 745 Atlantic Avenue Wallingford 8th Floor Oxfordshire OX10 8DE Boston, MA 02111 UK USA Tel: +44 (0)1491 832111 Tel: +1 (617)682-9015 Fax: +44 (0)1491 833508 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.cabi.org © Eddy S. Kelanaputra, Stephen P.C. Nelson, Umi Setiawati, Baihaqi Sitepu, Fazrin Nur, Brian P. Forster and Abdul Razak Purba 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronically, mechanically, by photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owners. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library, London, UK. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Kelanaputra, Eddy S., author. Title: Seed production in oil palm : a manual / Eddy S. Kelanaputra, Stephen P.C. Nelson, Umi Setiawati, Baihaqi Sitepu, Fazrin Nur, Brian P. Forster, Abdul R. Purba. Description: Boston, MA : CABI, [2018] | Series: Techniques in plantation science series ; 2 | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2018023338 (print) | LCCN 2018028695 (ebook) | ISBN 9781786395894 (ePDF) | ISBN 9781786395900 (ePub) | ISBN 9781786395887 (pbk : alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Oil palm--Seeds--Production (Biology) Classification: LCC SB299.P3 (ebook) | LCC SB299.P3 K45 2018 (print) | DDC 634.9/74--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018023338 ISBN-13: 978 1 78639 588 7 (pbk) 978 1 78639 589 4 (e-book) 978 1 78639 590 0 (e-pub) Commissioning editor: Rachael Russell / Rebecca Stubbs Editorial assistant: Emma McCann Production editor: James Bishop Typeset by SPi, Pondicherry, India Printed and bound in the UK by Severn, Gloucester. Series Foreword – Techniques in Plantation Science Verdant Bioscience, Singapore (VBS), is a new company established in October 2013 with a vision to develop high-yielding, high-quality planting material in oil palm and rubber through the application of sound practices based on scientific innovation in plant breeding. The approach is to fuse traditional breeding strategies with the latest methods in biotechnology. These techniques are integrated with expertise and the application of sus- tainable aspects of agronomy and crop protection, alongside information and imaging technology which not only find relevance in direct aspects of plantation practice but also in selection within the breeding programme. When high-yielding planting material is allied with efficient plantation practices, it leads to what may be termed ‘intensive sustainable’ production. At the same time, the quality of new products is refined to give more spe- cialized uses alongside more commodity-based oil production, thus meeting the market demands of the modern world community, but with a minimal harmful footprint. An essential ingredient in all this is having sound and practical protocols and techniques to allow the realization of the strategies that are envisaged. To achieve its aims, VBS acquired an Indonesian company called PT Timbang Deli Indonesia, with an estate of over 970 ha of land at Timbang Deli, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, Indonesia, and the group works under the name of ‘Verdant’. A central part of this estate, which will be used for important plant nurseries and field trials, is the development of the Verdant Plantation Science Centre (VPSC), to which the operational staff moved in October 2016. A seed production and marketing facility is now established at VPSC for commercial seed sales and the processing of seed from breeding programmes. The centre comprises specialized laboratories in cell biology, genomics, tissue culture, pollen, soil DNA, plant and soil nutrition, bunch and oil, agronomy and crop protection. Field facilities include extensive nur- series, seed gardens and trials (trial sites are also located at various locations across Indonesia). It is the aim of the company to use its existing and rapidly developing intellectual property (IP) to develop superior cultivars that not only have outstanding yield but also are resistant to both biotic and abiotic stresses, while at the same time meeting new market demands. Verdant not only develops and supplies superior planting materials but also supports its customers and growers with a package of services and advice in fertilizer recommendations and crop protection. This is all part of a central mission to promote green, eco-friendly agriculture. Brian P. Forster and Peter D.S. Caligari Lead Scientist and Science Strategy Executive Director Verdant Bioscience Contents Acknowledgements ix Preface xi 1 Introduction 3 1.1 History of Oil Palm Production and Crop Facts 3 1.2 Overview of Oil Palm Seed Production 5 1.3 Biology and Genetics of Oil Palm 6 1.4 Crossing and Seed Type 6 1.5 Commercial Crossing 7 1.6 Seed Production 7 References 8 2 Health and Safety Considerations 11 2.1 Health and Safety in the Field 11 2.2 Health and Safety in the Seed Processing Facility 12 Reference 13 3 Isolation of the Female Inflorescence 15 3.1 Tools 15 3.2 Reagents 15 3.3 Methods 16 4 Pollination 19 4.1 Pollination 19 4.2 Quality Control: Blank Pollination 19 4.3 Tools 20 4.4 Reagents 20 4.5 Methods 21 Reference 23 5 Harvesting 25 5.1 Tools 25 5.2 Methods 25 vii viii Contents 6 Seed Preparation 29 6.1 Tools 29 6.2 Materials 30 6.3 Methods 30 7 Seed Viability Testing 35 7.1 Tools 35 7.2 Methods 35 8 Seed Moisture Testing 39 8.1 Tools 39 8.2 Methods 39 9 Seed Processing for Commercial Seed Production 43 9.1 General Principles in Commercial Seed Production 43 9.2 Tools 44 9.3 Materials 45 9.4 Methods 45 9.5 Tenera Purity Testing 49 References 50 10 Seed Production for Breeding 53 10.1 General Principles in Breeding Seed Production 53 10.2 Breeding Seed Storage 54 10.3 Tools, Materials and Methods 54 References 55 Index 57 Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to all the seed production and marketing, breeding and biotechnology teams of Verdant Bioscience for sharing their knowledge and providing helpful advice in preparing this manual. ix