Marker assisted selection (MAS), is now seen as a viable option in oil palm breeding programmes. Increase in the number of trained staff, availability of appropriate genomics tools and infrastructure in many commercial plantation companies have provided the incentive to implement MAS. The most basic application of markers in oil palm breeding is probably testing for legitimacy within the progeny of controlled crosses in order to ensure that the palms within a family are of the correct parentage.

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