EVALUATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AGRO-MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION WITHIN GHANA OIL PALM GERMPLASM USING CHEMOMETRIC TECHNIQUES

In 2003, the Oil Palm Research Institute of Ghana collected 79 dura oil palms from the natural groves of seven regions of Ghana in view of infusing superior accessions in its breeding stocks and conserving those with interesting agronomic traits for posterity and eighteen (18) agro-morphological traits were studied. Data recorded were subjected to estimates of coefficient of variation to quantify the variability within the accessions. Principal Component and Cluster Analyses were also performed to decipher the relatedness between accessions using R Statistical software. Moderate coefficient of variation was identified for bunch number (28.3), average bunch weight (20.46), fresh fruit bunch (28.43) and single fruit weight (22.37) implicating potentials of improvement for those traits through selection. Five principal components were obtained with Eigen value greater than 1 amounting to 74.82% of the total variance. Some vegetative, yield and yield components traits were tributaries to the PC 1. Eleven accessions were phenotypically diverse and crossing chart could be initiated among them to exploit their heterosis potential. Cluster analysis showed two major groups, which further divided into sub-groups, at 58 % and 60 % dissimilarity indexes. The first cluster consisted of 49 accessions and the second comprised 30 accessions. Six pairs of accessions were identified as phenotypically similar and this could lead to the establishment of dura core collections. Seven high performing accessions were selected for five traits of interest in the oil palm industry for their potential infusion into the current breeding stocks.