Evaluation of combining ability and genetic variance in introgressed widikum elaeis guineensis jacq. of cameroon using north carolina ii mating design

Information on combining abilities and gene action parameters remain critical in oil palm selection/breeding for high yield commercial tenera hybrid. In this study, female families (DA2356D, DA787D, DA507D, and LM7899D) and male families (LM9175T, LM9287T, and LM9927T) were crossed and their progenies planted at Specialized Centre for Oil Palm Research of Cameroon. After 10 years, the resulting progeny test was evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Oil yield and selected oil palm traits were estimated. ANOVA suggested significant differences among females and males on most studied characters. DA787D and LM7899D were identified as promising good general combiners for yield and yield components, with significant positive general combining abilities (GCA). Female families, mainly DA787D, could be utilized in oil palm breeding programs since they showed potential additive gene effects. Male family LM9287T followed by LM9175T provided good GCA for most of the traits. The Cross DA2356D x LM9287T exhibited best specific combining ability (SCA) for all the yield and yield components. DA787D x LM9927T, DA507D x LM9175T and LM7899D x LM9287T presented good SCA for bunch quality components and height increment of palms. The ratio of σ²gca/σ²sca, [σ²D/σ²A]1/2 which was less than unity in some traits and more than unity in others, with low narrow sense heritability estimates, indicated the important role of both additive and non-additive gene actions in the inheritance of these characters, with preponderance of non-additive gene actions. The female × male interaction contributed more to total variation of the expression of different traits.