Lecture 20 - Oil Palm Flashcards
(30 cards)
oil palm scientific name
Elaeis guineensis
current yield of oil palm
5-7 tonnes oil/ha/year
why use palm oil
it is not hydrogenated, so it contains no trans-fatty acids, is lower in fat than butter, and has no cholesterol
origin of oil palm
rainforest-savanna transition zone of West Africa
3 species of oil palm
E. guineensis, E. oleifera, and E. odora
most used type of oil palm
E. guineensis
what is the oil palm E. oleifera valued for
its slow vertical growth rate and resistance to diseases
what is the worlds most important vegetable oil
palm oil
where produces the most oil palm
SE asia (indonesia)
2 types of oil produced from oil palm
palm oil and palm kernel oil
physical description of oil palm
tall erect palm tree with hooked spines on leaves
t/f: flowers of oil palm can self
f, they are entirely outcrossing (allogamous) because male and female flowers are on separate clusters and mature at diff times
how is oil palm traditionally propagated
from seed. in 90 day it germinates. first grown in container, than nursery
what pattern are oil palms planted in
9x9m in triangle pattern
when does oil palm begin to fruit
3-4 years
how many fruit per bunch on oil palm and how many bunches each year
200-300 fruit per bunch
4-5 bunch per year
how long does it take for oil palm fruit to mature
5-6 months
oil palm fruit colours
- Nigrescens (most common) - purplish black when young, reddish black when ripe
- Virescens - green when young, orange red with green tips when ripe
- Albescens - whitish when young, yellowish with reddish-black tips when mature
harvest of oil palm
harvest thoughout year every 5-10 days. Entire bunch is cut off
what part of oil palm fruit does the palm oil come from
the mesocarp
what fruit type of oil palm is used for all commercial production
tenera
3 natural fruit types of oil palm
dura (thick endocarp)
tenera
pisifera (no endocarp, sterile)
can oil palms be tissue cultured
yes
what color is palm oil
light yellow to orange red
