The fruit of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is an oil-rich fruit whose mesocarp (pulp) can accumulate exceptionally high levels of provitamin A (α- and β-carotene). Red palm oil extracted from the fruit has been consumed in Central and West Africa for millennia and helps combat vitamin A deficiency-related diseases affecting local populations. However, fruit provitamin A content has not yet been incorporated into breeding programmes, despite considerable variation in this trait within the natural diversity of oil palm.
The aim of the proVISION project is to harness this diversity to identify the underlying genetic basis by combining near-infrared spectroscopy-based phenotyping with quantitative genetics approaches. The project will be conducted in collaboration with INRAB, which runs oil palm breeding programmes in partnership with PalmElit, a subsidiary of CIRAD. The genetic determinants identified through the project could pave the way for the development of varieties producing provitamin A-biofortified fruits, thereby contributing to improved nutritional security in Central and West Africa.
