Harvest prediction and control in interspecific hybrid Elaeis oleifera x Elaeis guineensis at Colombian west area of palm production. I. Ripeness period determination in order to obtain high amounts of oil concentration at bunches

Abstract

This study was carried out to identify the ripeness period in order to obtain high amounts of oil concentration in bunches of the OxG hybrid (Elaeis oleifera x Elaeis guineensis) Corpoica Elmira in the palm production region of Tumaco, Colombia. The highest period of oil concentration in bunches was obtained between 170 and 180 days after assisted pollination, within this range it's possible to harvest the largest number of bunches with fruit at optimum ripeness. Variables such as oil to dry mesocarp ratio of fertile fruits (AcPSFF), oil to dry mesocarp ratio of parthenocarpic fruits (AcPSFP), oil to wet mesocarp ratio of parthenocarpic fruit (AcPFFP), oil to bunch ratio based on parthenocarpic fruit (AcRFP), and oil to bunch ratio (AcR), are sensitive to ripeness periods. El propósito de la investigación fue identificar el periodo de madurez del fruto con mayor acumulación de aceite en los racimos del híbrido OxG (Elaeis oleifera x Elaeis guineensis) Corpoica Elmira en la zona palmera de Tumaco, Colombia. El periodo con mayor acumulación de aceite en los racimos se obtuvo entre 170 y 180 días después de la polinización asistida; dentro de este rango es posible cosechar el mayor número de racimos en punto de madurez óptima. Las variables aceite en pulpa seca de frutos fértiles (AcPSFF), aceite en pulpa seca de frutos partenocárpicos (AcPSFP), aceite en pulpa fresca de frutos partenocárpicos (AcPFFP), aceite en racimo con base en frutos partenocárpicos (AcRFP) y aceite en racimo (AcR) son sensibles a los periodos de maduración.