RESEARCH ARTICLE

Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 7 No. 1, June 1995, p. 10-17

BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON ABNORMAL CLONES OF THE OIL PALM (Elaeis guineensis)

MARZIAH, M*; ROHANI, O**

ABSTRACT

A preliminary study was conducted on the biochemistry of oil palm clones producing mantled fruits. The kernels, mesocarp, leaves and callus tissues derived from both normal palms and those with mantled fruits were analysed. The results showed that the mantled material seemed to have a higher level of reducing sugars, particularly in the kernels and the callus tissues. The difference in the reducing sugar content of leaf extracts from normal palms and those producing mantled fruits was not highly significant except in the P38 clone. The content of soluble protein and ethanol-soluble nitrogenous compounds appeared inconsistent between different batches of leaf samples though there was generally an increasing trend in material from palms producing mantled fruits. No differences were observed between the activities of polyphenol oxidases, esterases or peroxidases in the leaf extracts from normal palms and those with mantled fruits. Analyses of total amino acids in the mesocarp tissues of mantled fruit from clones P10, P12, P15 and P38 showed that there was an increase in serine content but a decrease in amino acids related to apartate.

KEYWORDS:


* Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

* Palm Oil Research Institute of Malaysia, P.O. Box 10620, 50720 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.