Objectives

The general objective of the on-going OPGP B project is in the very short term the genomic selection in oil palm to accelerate the creation of more efficient commercial varieties, in particular more yielding in palm oil and resistant to major diseases. Also, OPGP B actively prepares the future of the oil palm with totally novel elite varieties, making use of the favourable genes of E. oleifera allowing decreasing drastically manpower costs in palm oil plantations while increasing the palm oil yield, quality and stability in various agro-climatic environments, sub consequently increasing the net profitability of the palm oil producers.

The OPGP CONSORTIUM is an association of fifteen private and public entities for developing and exploiting genomic resources in oil palm within OPGP R&D&I projects (Oil Palm Genomic Projects). The developed tools and resources are used by the participating companies to improve and speed up their respective oil palm breeding programs regarding notably palm oil yield and quality, genetic resistances to diseases, lower operating costs and sustainability of large-scale or small holders’ plantations. Innovative research studies of the oil palm and of its wild relative E. oleifera from South-America are performed.