Effects of tissue culture conditions during embryoid multiplication on the incidence of "mantled'' flowering in clonally propagated oil palm

New and established embryoid lines of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) clones, classified with regard to the expected risk of mantled flowering, were included in experiments to determine to what extent culture conditions during 48 weeks of embryoid multiplication could influence the incidence and severity of mantled flowering. Variables tested included clone risk status, duration of transfer interval, and plant growth regulator composition of the culture medium. Clones classified as high risk at the outset gave a significantly higher incidence of mantled flowering in the field than clones classified as low/medium risk, confirming that data on terminal inflorescences produced in vitro allows effective screening of material with regard to the risk of mantled flowering. The incidence of mantled flowering ranged from 0 to 100% depending on risk status of the clones, and the treatments applied. In general, a relatively long transfer interval (8 weeks) and a high auxin/cytokinin ratio resulted in the lowest incidence of mantled flowering with all types of material. Reducing the transfer interval down to 2 or 4 weeks, and/or using media with relatively high concentrations of kinetin (0.25 mg l(-1)), and low concentrations of naphthalene acetic acid (0 or 0.1 mg l(-1)), resulted in a high incidence of mantled flowering (above 30%), even with low/medium risk clones. Exclusion of plant growth regulators from the embryoid multiplication medium did not prevent some mantled flowering (12%) of new embryoid lines of low/medium risk clones following embryoid multiplication on a 4 week transfer interval, and a much higher incidence of mantling (above 90%) of lines from high risk clones.