ABSTRACT
Private seed companies are largely responsible for the development and expansion of the commercial oil palm seed market since the early days of the development of the crop. The selection of ortets initially based on data is further confirmed by field observations by the breeder, sometimes together with the agronomist and the tissue culturist. The Oil Palm Tissue Culture (OPTC) process begins with the selection of suitable explants, such as immature leaves, young inflorescences, seed embryos, or tips of tertiary roots. The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) plant variety protection (PVP) system was formulated in 1961 to recognize and protect the intellectual property rights of plant breeders in their varieties on an international basis. The advent of Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) technologies has facilitated the application of genetic markers such as microsatellites (SSR), single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and insertion–deletion polymorphisms for crop genetic improvement.
