Lecture 20 - Oil Palm

Question 1

oil palm scientific name

Answer 1

Elaeis guineensis

Question 2

current yield of oil palm

Answer 2

5-7 tonnes oil/ha/year

Question 3

why use palm oil

Answer 3

it is not hydrogenated, so it contains no trans-fatty acids, is lower in fat than butter, and has no cholesterol

Question 4

origin of oil palm

Answer 4

rainforest-savanna transition zone of West Africa

Question 5

3 species of oil palm

Answer 5

E. guineensis, E. oleifera, and E. odora

Question 6

most used type of oil palm

Answer 6

E. guineensis

Question 7

what is the oil palm E. oleifera valued for

Answer 7

its slow vertical growth rate and resistance to diseases

Question 8

what is the worlds most important vegetable oil

Answer 8

palm oil

Question 9

where produces the most oil palm

Answer 9

SE asia (indonesia)

Question 10

2 types of oil produced from oil palm

Answer 10

palm oil and palm kernel oil

Question 11

physical description of oil palm

Answer 11

tall erect palm tree with hooked spines on leaves

Question 12

t/f: flowers of oil palm can self

Answer 12

f, they are entirely outcrossing (allogamous) because male and female flowers are on separate clusters and mature at diff times

Question 13

how is oil palm traditionally propagated

Answer 13

from seed. in 90 day it germinates. first grown in container, than nursery

Question 14

what pattern are oil palms planted in

Answer 14

9x9m in triangle pattern

Question 15

when does oil palm begin to fruit

Answer 15

3-4 years

Question 16

how many fruit per bunch on oil palm and how many bunches each year

Answer 16

200-300 fruit per bunch
4-5 bunch per year

Question 17

how long does it take for oil palm fruit to mature

Answer 17

5-6 months

Question 18

oil palm fruit colours

Answer 18

1. Nigrescens (most common) - purplish black when young, reddish black when ripe
2. Virescens - green when young, orange red with green tips when ripe
3. Albescens - whitish when young, yellowish with reddish-black tips when mature

Question 19

harvest of oil palm

Answer 19

harvest thoughout year every 5-10 days. Entire bunch is cut off

Question 20

what part of oil palm fruit does the palm oil come from

Answer 20

the mesocarp

Question 21

what fruit type of oil palm is used for all commercial production

Answer 21

tenera

Question 22

3 natural fruit types of oil palm

Answer 22

dura (thick endocarp)
tenera
pisifera (no endocarp, sterile)

Question 23

can oil palms be tissue cultured

Answer 23

yes

Question 24

what color is palm oil

Answer 24

light yellow to orange red

Question 25

what color is palm kernel oil

Answer 25

colourless

Question 26

ratio of palm oil to palm kernel oil

Answer 26

10:1

Question 27

what is palm oil rich in

Answer 27

carotenoids

Question 28

what is palm oil used for

Answer 28

food

Question 29

what is palm kernel oil used for

Answer 29

confectionary and industrial purposes

Question 30

target traits of breeding to increase palm oil yield

Answer 30

• more fruit bunches per tree
• higher number and larger fruit size
• thick mesocarp
• high oil content