| Abstract: | Shedding of oil palm fruit from the spike takes place in twostages. The first, cell separation at the junction of the fruitbase and the pedicel (position 1) is initiated by ethylene orits precursor (ACC) or by treatments that accelerate the production.ofethylene (ABA). Separation is delayed or suppressed by treatmentsthat block ethylene biosynthesis (AOA) or oppose ethylene action(auxin, 2, 4-D). Separation of cells at the fruit base fromthe rudimentary androecium or from the ring of tepals at thepedicel edge is a second stage event that depends upon the achievementof separation at position 1. Abscission cells differentiatedat these secondary positions do not separate in response toethylene or to ethylene enhancing compounds alone. It is concludedthat a chemical stimulus from the separated position 1 providesthe signal that induces the second cell separation process essentialto the completion of fruit shedding. Key words: Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis, fruit abscission, ethylene, cell separation, inter-tissue signalling |
