Keynote Paper 2 ROLE OF OIL PALM BREEDING IN WEALTH CREATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE

Transcription

1 Keynote Paper 2 ROLE OF OIL PALM BREEDING IN WEALTH CREATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE Abstract Ahmad Kushairi Din Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) P.O. Box 10620, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia kushairi@mpob.gov.my Quality of planting materials determines future successes of plantations and subsequent endeavours in the life cycle. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) breeding triggered an industry in Malaysia through Plant Introduction with the establishment of the first oil palm plantation. At the wake of the oil palm industry, plantations utilised the dura planting material. The hallmark discovery of the single gene inheritance for shell thickness led to the prolific dura x pisifera (DxP) derived tenera planting material. Subsequent parental inbred lines developed in recurrent selections, crossed and progeny tested exploiting heterosis had boosted yields. Further improvements were foresighted and executed in the widening of the genetic pool and collections of germplasm in centres of origin/diversity in Africa and Latin America. Field Genebank of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) forms the world s largest ex situ oil palm conservation programme. This programme enabled the developments of elite breeding populations harbouring specialty oils and products. Meanwhile, opening of large oil palm areas by the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) set the momentum in rapid expansion of the industry. Felda is an exemplary in wealth creation and quality of life (QOL). Resettlements of landless farmers into Felda schemes, employing modern farming, mainly in oil palm has helped eradicate poverty and uplifting QOL among settlers, employees and their families. Impacts of the success in wealth creation and its distribution leading to better QOL, rooted from breeding through the supply of quality planting materials. Phenotypic expressions of the planting materials were realised through genotypic and environment interactions; the former through breeding, the latter through agronomic practices. Efforts in oil palm breeding helped paved the way to a mammoth industry, contributing to the nation economic growths, impacting livelihood of the people. Further progress in yield is expected from clones, where breeding has a role in the supply of quality ortets. Genetic potential of planting materials can be further exploited through interdisciplinary approach in breeding, biotechnology and genomics. With continuing wealth creation, the oil palm saga continues. Once wealth is created, QOL will follow. Introduction History of the oil palm industry is the history of oil palm breeding. Despite the African origin, oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) strives well in other regions and has established itself as the primary commodity crop in many countries including Malaysia. In the development of the oil palm industry, Malaysia is fortunate to be blessed with favourable environments (climate, soil, etc); political stability and visionary leaders; started with good quality genetic materials and; made the right choice in picking the most productive oil bearing species. On average, oil Proceedings of the 8 th Malaysia Congress on Genetics, 4-6 August 2009, Genting Highlands, Malaysia 14

2 palm produces 4.0 t/ha/yr crude palm oil (CPO), 0.50 t/ha/yr palm kernel oil (PKO) and 0.5 t/ha/yr palm kernel cake (PKC). The Malaysian oil palm industry was established from seeds introduced from Africa by way of Indonesia. The first oil palm plantation in Malaysia was established in Early establishment of the oil palm industry was somewhat slow, with some 20,000ha in the 1950s. The impetus in rapid expansion in oil palm development took place in the 1960s attributed to the Agriculture Diversification Policy in the 1950s to ease over dependence on rubber; and the establishment of Federal Land Development Authority (Felda), in 1956 to eradicate poverty, in resettlement schemes (Yusof, 2000; EPU, 2009; Felda, 2009). Oil palm planted areas grew to some 54,000ha in the 1960s. In 1972, Malaysia became the world s number one producer and exporter of palm oil, superseding Nigeria. In 2008, oil palm planted areas stood at 4.48 million ha, produced million tonnes CPO that generated RM65.2 billion in export earnings (MPOB, 2009). The bullish economy of the oil palm industry has helped improved quality of life (QOL) of its people. While wealth is the state of being rich, and synonymous to prosperity and affluence, the term QOL is a subjective livability measure of life-satisfaction in various social contexts. Malaysian QOL index is gauged on income and distribution, working life, transport and communications, health, education, housing, environment, family life, social participation, public safety and, culture and leisure (EPU, 2009). Success of the oil palm industry is backed by research and development (R&D). This paper attempts to trace the achievements and role of oil palm breeding in relation to wealth creation and QOL. Plant Introduction Plant introduction is a form of breeding. This breeding method is often unnoticed and least credited. Several oil palm introductions were made to Malaysia at the turn of the 20 th Century; and more recently since the 1970s, by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). Several oil palm accessions were introduced to Malaysia since 1860, but the materials imported in 1911 and 1912 marked the beginning of the industry in Malaysia. Some notable oil palm introductions reviewed by Kushairi and Rajanaidu (2000) are cited here. A) Dura Four botanical specimens were introduced at the Bogor Botanical Garden, Java, Indonesia in 1848 (Hartley, 1988). Seeds from Bogor were planted in Deli, Medan, Sumatra in the 1870s before introduced to Rantau Panjang, Kuala Selangor, Malaysia in 1911 and 1912 (Jagoe, 1952). B) Tenera/pisifera Materials from the Yangambi research station in Congo DR were introduced to Medan, Sumatra by AVROS in In 1957, this breeding population was jointly introduced to Malaysia by Harissons & Crossfield (now Sime Darby) and the Department of Agriculture (DOA) Semenanjung Malaysia (breeding populations are now under MPOB). The AVROS materials were planted in Banting, Selangor. Progenies of Banting Malaysia (BM), notably BM119 were planted in DOA Serdang in 1979 and later distributed to other centres (Kushairi and Rajanaidu, 2000). C) Germplasm Due to the narrow genetic base of oil palm breeding populations four Bogor dura and a handful of pisifera palms and continuing treats of genetic erosion attributed to urbanization, MPOB prospected oil palm germplasm in the centres of Proceedings of the 8 th Malaysia Congress on Genetics, 4-6 August 2009, Genting Highlands, Malaysia 15

3 origin/diversity in Africa and Latin America (Rajanaidu, 1994). E. guineensis was prospected in Nigeria, Cameroon, Zaire (Congo DR), Tanzania, Madagascar, Angola, Senegal, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ghana. The allied species, E. oleifera were sampled in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Brazil, Surinam and Ecuador. The prospected in MPOB field Genebank, Kluang, Malaysia forms the world s largest ex situ oil palm germplasm conservation programme. Selection A) Dura Bunch and fruit characteristics of the Bogor palms initially planted for aesthetical purposes along avenues in Deli and Rantau Panjang improved over time as the best-looking palms were progressively and unconsciously selected for more avenue plantings. Formal breeding and selections over several generations since 1920s in Malaysia and Indonesia gave rise to a distinct and valuable breeding population referred as Deli dura (Jagoe, 1952). The Deli dura is precocious, which is a heritable character (Hartley, 1988). Further breeding and selections at various centres, developed several breeding populations, e.g. Elmina (E), Dumpy E206, Banting dura (BD), Johore Labis dura (JLD), Ulu Remis dura (URD). B) Tenera/pisifera At about the same time of formal breeding and selection in South-East Asia, the breeding programme in Africa developed the tenera population, notably the Djogo (best) palm at palm at Eala Botanical Garden, Yangambi, Congo DR (Hartley, 1988). In Indonesia and Malaysia, breeding and selection of the Yangambi population evolved into the AVROS pisifera. Descendents of the Yangambi, bred elsewhere, apart from that by AVROS, is known as the Yangambi population. In Ivory Coast, the La Me research station developed materials from palm groves, referred as the La Me population. C) Germplasm Though breeding and selections, MPOB developed various breeding populations (PS Series) with special traits (Kushairi et al., 2000; 2003). To-date MPOB had developed PS1 (dwarf), PS2 (high iodine value), PS3 (large kernel), PS4 (high carotene E. oleifera), PS5 (large fruit dura), PS6 (thin shell tenera), PS7 (high bunch index), PS8 (high vitamin E), PS9 (Bactris gasipeas not an oil palm species), PS10 (long stalk), PS11 (high carotene E. guineensis), PS12 (high oleic acid) and PS13 (low lipase). Improvement Programmes A) Single gene inheritance A tenera x tenera (TxT) programme in Yangambi discovered the monogenic inheritance for the presence/absence of the shell. Segregation of the dura, tenera and pisifera progenies from TxT crosses fitted the 1:2:1 Mendelian ratio (Beirnaert and Vanderweyen, 1941). Subsequently, the thick shelled homozygous dominant (Sh + Sh + ) dura crossed to the shell-less homozygous recessive (Sh Sh ) pisifera resulted in the thin shelled heterozygous (Sh + Sh ) tenera. While presence/absence of the shell is controlled by a single gene, variation in shell thickness is influenced by poligenes. The DxP hybrid is used as planting material due to the higher proportion of oil-bearing mesocarp, hence higher oil yield than the dura. The shell-less pisifera, though has the highest mesocarp content, is however female sterile, where bunches failed to develop to maturity. B) Recurrent Selection In a cross-pollinated species, like the oil palm, it is important to select parents that will produce high-performing progeny in crosses, i.e. with good combining ability. The reciprocal recurrent selection (RRS) or modified reciprocal recurrent selection (MRS) is adopted in oil palm improvement programmes to develop dura and tenera/pisifera lines. Dura palms for use as seed parents are selected based on its own merit. Since pisifera is Proceedings of the 8 th Malaysia Congress on Genetics, 4-6 August 2009, Genting Highlands, Malaysia 16

4 female sterile, its performance is gauged on the performance of the tenera sibs in DxP or dura x tenera (DxT) progeny test. Crosses for progeny testing often employ the North Carolina Model II (NCM II) mating design to estimate combining abilities. Pisiferas with good general combining ability (GCA) are used as parents in mass DxP seed production. Crosses between inbred parents in commercial DxP seed production exploit heterosis. C) Planting Materials Besides DxP seeds, oil palm planting materials include clones and clonal seeds. The latter are DxP seeds derived from crosses between clonal dura and/or pisifera parents. Clonal seed production emphasises specific combining ability (SCA) to maximise heterosis. Kushairi et al. (2007) regarded the DxP as the First Wave in yield improvement of the oil palm, while clonal planting materials the Second Wave. In tissue culture, the basic requirement for feasible mass propagation of ramets is the availability and consistent supply of a large number of high quality ortets for cloning (Kushairi et al., 2007). Both production methods clonal seeds and clones require the supply of elite parents selected from breeding programmes. Role of Breeding A) Birth of an Industry The first oil palm plantation in Malaysia was established using the introduced Deli dura materials. Tennamaram Estate, a coffee plantation was transformed into an oil palm plantation owing to the declining yield (due to disease) and price of coffee bean in European market. This was supported by the escalating price and demand for vegetable oils in European industrial revolution at the turn of the 20th Century. The crop switch led to a more productive commodity and lucrative industry. Land use change persists till today, with oil palm encroaching into areas planted with other crops, such as rubber and cocoa. B) Yield Improvements Early developments of the oil palm industry in Malaysia and elsewhere utilised the dura material. Oil palm is an exceptional example where quantum leap in yield was achieved through a single gene. The switch from dura to DxP planting material resulted in 30% oil yield increase. An additional oil yield increase of at least 20% is expected from clones (Kushairi et al., 2007). In 2008, the national average production of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) was t/ha, oil extraction rate (OER) of 20.21% and oil yield of 4.08 t/ha (MPOB, 2008). Elsewhere, various breeding programmes reported progress in oil yield improvements. The best experimental plot produced 8.6 t/ha/yr of oil (Corley et al., 1976). A selected progeny has the potential of producing 12.2 t/ha/yr (Rajanaidu et al., 1990). The best palm was reportedly yielding 13.6 t/ha/yr (Sharma and Tan, 1999). The maximum theoretical oil yield proposed by Corley (1998) is 18.2 t/ha/yr and 0.3 t/ha/yr kernel yield. There still remains the challenge to narrow the gap between realised and theoretical oil yields. C) Specialty oils and products While oil yield remains the prime objective in oil palm cultivation, developments of novel planting materials producing specialty oils and products would open up niche markets. Breeding populations and planting materials with such traits are progressively developed without compromising yield (Kushairi et al., 2000). Breeding populations with specialty oils and products are anticipated to contribute towards better: Productivity (yield, kernel, large fruit, thin shell, bunch index) Working life (dwarf, long stalk for ease of harvesting), Health (iodine value, carotene, vitamin E, oleic acid, lipase) Environment (dwarf for delayed replanting, higher productivity means less land area). Felda An Exemplary in Wealth Creation and QOL Proceedings of the 8 th Malaysia Congress on Genetics, 4-6 August 2009, Genting Highlands, Malaysia 17

5 Felda was established to eradicate poverty among landless farmers in nationwide resettlement schemes (EPU, 2009; Felda, 2009). The settlers were introduced to modern farming, mainly on oil palm, with rubber, cocoa and sugar cane making up the other commodity crops (Felda, 2009). Oil palm breeding played the pivotal role in realizing the national agenda, through the supply of enough quantity high quality planting materials to meet the surge for new plantings. While the first Felda scheme, Lurah Bilut was planted with rubber in 1958, Taib Andak was the first oil palm scheme established in To-date Felda has developed 853,313ha of plantation and settlement areas, benefiting 112,635 settlers families (Felda, 2009). Parallel to the agricultural activities are the Settler Development Programmes emphasizing education, family well-being, health, religion, family institution and the new generation. Yusof (2007) quoting Felda 2005 survey based on the Malaysian QOL index reported that the settlers enjoy a high QOL. This has helped create political stability and narrowing the gap between the urban and rural populations (Felda, 2009). Wealth and QOL in Felda schemes was summarized in a New Straits Times article (NST, 2009): Settlers in Federal Land Development Authority schemes now constitute thriving communities enjoying a high standard of living. Their lifestyles have changed and their living standards are on a par with urban communities, albeit with the advantage of being ensconced among greenery and unpolluted air. Of the 112,635 houses in Felda schemes, only 6,365 are still in their original condition. The rest have been renovated. If in the 1950s and 1960s settlers depended on aid provided by various organisations for necessities such as milk, flour, sardines and sugar, many now have performed their haj or umrah and gone sight seeing holidays abroad. Grants, loans and various other opportunities have made it possible for the children of settlers to pursue courses at universities in the country and abroad. All this has been the result of the toil of settlers and management on the part of Felda. The poverty eradicating programme that led to wealth and uplifting QOL among Felda settlers are largely the outcome of successful oil palm cultivation, rooted from quality planting materials generated by breeding. Future developments Further strides of the oil palm industry are envisaged through interdisciplinary approach in improving versatility and utility of the palm oil. Breeding, biotechnology and genomics, though diverged in research methodologies, are gradually converging. Quantitative genetics and molecular biology compliments each other to arrive at a common goal of producing high performing value-added planting materials. Revealing the oil palm genome and its subsequent applications would further enhance the industry through improved planting materials. A whole spectrum of agronomic traits and added-value products can be produced, such as improved yield, palm oil quality, tolerant to pest and diseases, dwarf palms, stress tolerance. These developments are of immense importance to the 3P principles (people, planet, profit) for sustainable palm oil production, impacting the measures of Malaysian QOL index. Conclusions The role of oil palm breeding has been the introduction of an exotic plant species leading to the birth of an industry; supply of quality planting materials in oil palm expansion programmes; improvements in productivity of the planting materials for sustenance of the industry; conservation of germplasm for posterity; developments of breeding populations Proceedings of the 8 th Malaysia Congress on Genetics, 4-6 August 2009, Genting Highlands, Malaysia 18

6 harbouring specialty oils and products to cater the needs for enhanced productivity, working life, health and the environment. Once wealth is created, QOL will follow. Throughout the palm oil supply chain; in production, manufacturing and marketing, various disciplines played equally important roles in making oil palm a profitable business. In the production line, the genetic potential is ascertained by breeding and tissue culture. Phenotypic expressions are ensured through physiology, agronomy, plant protection and farm mechanization. These agronomic practices constitute the environments, besides the environment per se. The genotype (G), environment (G) and GxE interaction are contributing factors in ensuring palm oil to be profitably produced and affordably consumed. The oil palm industry has been and will continue to be the major contributor to economic growths and nation building, impacting the growers and sectors of the oil palm industry. Multiplier effects are felt and enjoyed by related industries and all Malaysians. Oil palm breeding is the starting point in successful oil palm industry, creating wealth and uplifting quality of life. Acknowledgement The author thanks the Director-General of MPOB for permission to present this paper. References Beirnaert, A. and Vanderweyen, R. (1941). Contribution a l etude Genetique et Biometrique des Varietes d Elaeis guineensis Jacq. Publ. INEAC Ser. Sci. 27. Corley, R.H.V. (1998). What is the upper limit to oil extraction ratio? In Proc. Oil and Kernel Production in Oil Palm. Palm Oil Res. Inst. Malaysia: Corley, R.H.V., Wood, B.J. & Hardon, J.J. (1976). Future developments in oil palm cultivation. Oil Palm Research. Ed. Corley, R.H.V., Hardon, J.J. & Wood, B.J. Elsevier. Amsterdam. EPU (2009). Malaysian Quality of Life July Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister s Department, Malaysia. Felda (2009). July Federal Land Development Authority. Jagoe, R.B. (1952). Deli Oil Palms and Early Introductions of Elaeis guineensis to Malaya. Malay. Agric.J. 35:4-11. Kushairi, A. and Rajanaidu, N. (2000). Breeding Populations, Seed Production and Nursery Management. In Advances in Oil Palm Research. Eds. Yusof Basiron, Jalani, B.S. and Chan, K.W. Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Palm Oil Board: Kushairi, A., Rajanaidu, N. and Mohd Din, A. (2003). Mining the Germplasm. Paper presented at the Int l Seminar on the Progress of Oil Palm Breeding and Selection, 6-9 Oct. 2003, Medan, Indonesia. The International Society for Oil Palm Breeders (ISOPB) and Indonesian Oil Palm Research Institute (IOPRI): 34pp. Kushairi, A., Rajanaidu, N. and B.S. Jalani (2000). Genetic variation of iodine value, carotene and tocotrienols in palm oil and its applications in pharmaceuticals. Malaysian Oil Science and Technology (MOST) Vol. 11 no. 2/2002: Kushairi, A., Tarmizi, A.H., Zamzuri I., Ong-Abdullah M., Rohani, O., Samsul Kamal, R., Ooi S.E., Ravigadevi, S. and Mohd Basri W. (2007). Current Status of Oil Palm Tissue Culture in Malaysia. In: Ahmad Kushairi; Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi; Melina Ong Abdullah and Chan Kwong Choong (Eds). Proc. Clonal & Qty. Rep. Material. Malaysian Palm Oil Board: MPOB (2009). July Malaysian Palm Oil Board. Proceedings of the 8 th Malaysia Congress on Genetics, 4-6 August 2009, Genting Highlands, Malaysia 19

7 NST (2009). Felda to the World. 3 July New Straits Times Press. Rajanaidu, N. (1994). PORIM Oil Palm Genebank. Bangi. Palm Oil Res. Inst. Malaysia. Rajanaidu, N., Rao, V., Halim, A.H., and Ong, S.H. (1990). Genetic resources: New developments in oil palm breeding. Elaeis 1: Sharma, M., and Tan, Y.P. (1999). An overview of oil palm breeding programmes and the performance of DxP planting materials at United Plantations Berhad. In Proc. Sourcing Oil Palm Planting Materials for Local and Overseas Joint-Ventures. Palm Oil Res. Inst. Malaysia: Yusof Basiron (2000). Techno-economic Aspects of Research and Development in the Malaysian Oil Palm Industry. In Advances in Oil Palm Research. Eds. Yusof Basiron, Jalani, B.S. and Chan, K.W. Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Palm Oil Board: Yusof Basiron (2007). Palm Oil Production through Sustainable Plantations. Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 109: Proceedings of the 8 th Malaysia Congress on Genetics, 4-6 August 2009, Genting Highlands, Malaysia 20