High-Oleic Palm Oil (HOPO) Production from Parthenocarpic Fruits in Oil Palm Interspecific Hybrids Using Naphthalene Acetic Acid

Abstract

Interspecific OxG hybrids of African palm Elaeis guineensis Jacq. and the American palm Elaeis oleifera Cortes produce high-oleic palm oil (HOPO) with low saturated fatty acid content. OxG hybrids are highly productive, grow slowly, and are resistant to bud rot disease. However, OxG hybrid pollen presents low viability and germinability, so assisted pollination is a must. Hybrids can produce parthenocarpic or seedless fruits, with the exogenous application of plant growth regulators. Thus, naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) effects on parthenocarpic fruits induction, bunch formation, and oil quality were evaluated. The OxG hybrid Coari x La Mé was used. NAA doses, frequency, number of applications, and the phenological stages for the treatments were defined. A total dose of 1200 mg L−1 NAA applied three or four times produced bunches with better fruit set, similar average bunch weight, and oil to dry mesocarp than those obtained with assisted pollination. At a semi-commercial scale, 1200 mg L−1 NAA induced bunches that consisted of 93% or more of seedless fruits. Bunch number (2208 ± 84 versus 1690 ± 129) and oil to bunch (32.2 ± 0.7 versus 25.3 ± 0.8) were higher in the NAA induced bunches than in the assisted pollination. However, the average bunch weight was lower (12.2 ± 0.4 versus 14.9 ± 0.6). NAA increased oil to bunch in 36% (8.7 ± 0.1 versus 6.4 ± 0.3). Thus, with this technology, it is plausible to reach more than 10 tons per hectare per year of HOPO. Potentially, without increasing the planted oil palm area, OxG hybrids and NAA applications could alone meet the world’s fats and oil demands.