RESULTS: Our results indicate that the SHELL markers can theoretically reduce the major losses due to dura contamination of tenera planting material. However, these markers cannot distinguish illegitimate tenera, which reduces the value of having bred elite tenera for commercial planting and in the breeding programme, where fruit form is of limited utility, and incorrect identity could lead to significant problems. We propose an optimised approach using SNPs for routine quality control.
CONCLUSIONS: Both dura and tenera contamination can be identified and removed at or before the nursery stage. An optimised legitimacy assay using SNP markers coupled with a suitable sampling scheme is now ready to be deployed as a standard control for seed production and breeding in oil palm. The same approach will also be an effective solution for other perennial crops, such as coconut and date palm.
RESULTS: The pH, sugar and reducing sugars levels, organic acids content, total bacterial count (TBC) and sensory characteristics of the sample were determined. The results showed that the treated samples were able to slow down the pH and sucrose content from dropping during storage. Sample A had lactic acid at 0.93 ± 0.01 g/L and acetic acid at 0.05 ± 0.0.1 g/L, while Sample B had 0.97 ± 0.02 g/L and 0.07 ± 0.01 g/L, respectively, both lower than the control (1.10 ± 0.01 g/L and 0.09 ± 0.02 g/L). Sample A with TBC of 1.03 (± 0.08) x 105 CFU/mL was able to inhibit microbial growth better than Sample B, 1.14 (± 0.13) x 105 CFU/mL. Preservative application prior to tapping was shown to be more successful in preserving the quality and shelf-life of nipa palm sap. This approach is likely preventing early microbial activity and fermentation without the need of proper packaging, preserving the freshness and quality of the sap more effectively than adding the preservative after collection.
METHODS AND RESULTS: This study aimed to isolate and characterize the full-length cDNA encoding ERG11 from G. boninense. The G. boninense ERG11 gene expression during interaction with oil palm was also studied. A full-length 1860 bp cDNA encoding ERG11 was successfully isolated from G. boninense. The G. boninense ERG11 shared 91% similarity to ERG11 from other basidiomycete fungi. The protein structure homology modeling of GbERG11 was analyzed using the SWISS-MODEL workspace. Southern blot and genome data analyses showed that there is only a single copy of ERG11 gene in the G. boninense genome. Based on the in-vitro inoculation study, the ERG11 gene expression in G. boninense has shown almost 2-fold upregulation with the presence of oil palm.
CONCLUSION: This study provided molecular information and characterization study on the G. boninense ERG11 and this knowledge could be used to design effective control measures to tackle the BSR disease of oil palm.