Comparación de dos métodos de polinización en cultivo de palma aceitera o x g (E. oleifera x e. guineensis) en el cantón Shushufindi provincia de Sucumbíos

Abstract

Oil palm cultivation has faced several problems limiting growth and commercial development, such as pollination, which is not fully effective in a natural way, making it necessary to use additional methods of artificial or assisted pollination. The study objective was to compare two pollination methods in hybrid oil palm O x G (E. oleifera x E. guineensis) by measuring technical indicators to determine the most efficient one. This was an experimental and descriptive field method carried out in Shushufindi canton in Sucumbíos Province; the palms had an average age of six years; working with a single hectare, 60 plants were used for T1 (artificial pollination with pollen) and 60 plants for T2 (pollination assisted with ANA (auxin) plant hormone (naphthaleneacetic acid)). Of the 60 palms, it was observed that on average those corresponding to T1 had 1.37 plus minus 1.00 bunch at optimum harvest point, while the palms where only ANA was used (T2) had 1.00 plus minus 0.97 POC on average. There was a statistically significant difference (p-value: less than 0.05) in the weight per palm and per bunch between the two methods. Through T1 it was 30.30 kg plus minus 21.96 kg/palm and in T2 it was 17.00 plus minus 12.46 kg/palm. T1 averaged 10.10 plus minus 7.32 kg/bunch and T2 averaged 5.67 plus minus 4.15 kg/bunch. Both treatments yielded only Class I and II POC bunches. The benefit/cost ratio is similar, expecting 3.62 USD for each dollar invested (T1) and 3.37 USD (T2). It is concluded that better productive and cost-benefit results are obtained with artificial pollination use.