ABSTRACT
The oil palm is a versatile crop with a myriad of uses for its oil. In oil palm, as in other plants, dry matter is formed by the process of photosynthesis (CO2 assimilation). While the concept of potential yield is helpful in attempts to aim toward achieving the theoretical physiological limit, the concept of harvestable yield is important for a perennial tree crop. Harvestable or recoverable yield relates to ease of harvesting, harvesting at optimal fruit ripeness, and minimal loss of ripe fruits. In environments with high water deficit, percentage mortality is one of the most relevant criteria for assessing susceptibility to drought. Crown Disease (CD) is an important physiological affliction of young oil palms in the Far East. Fusarium vascular wilt has been the most important disease of oil palm and it remains a major threat to the crop. Defense-related genes have been described from oil palm, such as in response to Ganoderma and Foe, for example.
