Fruits of the oil palm can vary considerably based on their external appearance, notably the exocarp colour. The most common type of fruit colour is nigrescens (Nig), which is deep violet to black at the apex and pale yellow at the base when unripe. The colour of the Nig fruit varies to some extent on ripening, to either entirely red, or purplish black over the upper half but red at the base (Hartley, 1988). The other fruit colour is known as virescens (Vir), which is green when unripe and changes to light reddish-orange when ripe (Figure 1). Both Nig and Vir fruits occur in nature. There is no difference in the yield profile between Nig and Vir.

Researcher: Dr Rajinder Singh
Email: rajinder@mpob.gov.my