Pisiferas of Binga (Congo), Ekona (Cameroon) and URT origins were progeny tested with Deli, African and African x Deli duras in two trials. The widely used AVROS pisiferas were included as controls. In the first trial, the DxP progenies of an AVROS pisifera gave the highest fruit bunch and oil yields. Two Ekona and one Binga pisifera gave DxP progenies with estimated oil equivalent yields, or EOE (palm oil yield plus 60% of the kernel yield) within 10% of, and not significantly lower than AVROS. The other Binga and all the URT pisiferas tested gave poorer DxP progenies, with generally lower fresh fruit bunch (FFB) yield or bunch oil content or both. In the poorer environment of the second trial, the four best pisiferas were two from Ekona and one each from Binga and URT.

For vegetative growth, URT DxP were the smallest – short with fewer and shorter fronds of small leaf area. The Ekona DxP progenies were the opposite with longer fronds of larger leaf and petiole cross-sectional areas. Although the latter produced similar numbers of fronds in both trials, their rankings by pisiferas differed considerably. The AVROS DxPs were the tallest palms, confirming widespread observation of this characteristic of AVROS. The DxP of the different Binga pisiferas differed considerably for height, trunk diameter, rachis length, petiole cross-sectional and leaf areas but not for frond production for which they were the highest. This intra origin variation was also observed, albeit to a lesser extent, in all the origins but for different traits.

The DxP of Ekona pisiferas produced the most dry matter, whether vegetative or reproductive, those of URT the least while those of Binga varied considerably. Though both the Ekona and AVROS DxP progenies had similar leaf areas, the former with their large petioles had more dry matter supporting it. The progenies of URT pisiferas were low and those of Binga average for leaf area index and leaf area ratio.