This test cross population was planted on the Deli ex Sabah had the highest M/F range of 40 - 73 while
NIFOR Main Station, near Benin City, Nigeria in three NIFOR ex UP Malaya Deli recorded the highest mean of
trials between 1987 and 1993. The experimental design is 59.59. The mean shell to fruit (S/F) ratio of all the Deli
a Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 to 6 progenies exceeded those of their parents (Fig. 6). Very
replications. The extension work seed (EWS) was used as low S/F was recorded by NIFOR ex UP Malaya Deli. The
a control in each trial. distribution of the progenies in kernel to fruit (K/F) ratio
Data were collected for a seven year period is indicative of continuous variation (Fig.7). The mean for
(1999-2005) with respect to bunch yield; fresh fruit bunch the five Deli parents ranged from 8.48 to 11.60 with NIFOR
(FFB), average bunch weight (ABW) and number of ex Serdang Avenue ranking highest for K/F.
harvested bunches (BN). Components of bunch and fruit
quality (fruit to bunch (F/B), mesocarp to fruit (M/F), shell DISCUSSION
to fruit (S/F) and kernel to fruit (K/F) ratios) were analyzed
as outlined by Rao et al., [8] on individual palm basis. The frequency distribution of the progenies
For each progeny in each year, the mean bunch approximate continuous variation, showing that several
yield and mean values of the fruit and bunch quality genes control these traits. The productivity of a progeny
components were computed in accordance with the is primarily determined by the number of bunches it bears,
experimental design. The progeny mean values were while the average bunch weight is responsible for the
fitted into frequency distribution using the SPSS software secondary trends in the relationship between the FFB
package version 1.2.0.1