Mutant oil palms come to aid of margarine and soap industries

The margarine and soap industries could benefit from British research into improving techniques for 바카라사이트 harvesting of oil palm fruits in Malaysia and South East Asia.

Researchers at 바카라사이트 Open University's Oxford Research Unit have been granted funding of Pounds 155,000 from 바카라사이트 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to collaborate with Unilever and 바카라사이트 University of Western Australia to find how to stop palms shedding fruit when 바카라사이트 bunches are cut - resulting in 바카라사이트 loss of some of 바카라사이트 harvest.

Head of 바카라사이트 research, Daphne Osborne said: "Economically it is particularly valuable to Malaysia's vast oil palm plantations which have become more important than 바카라사이트 more expensive, traditional rubber plantations. But 바카라사이트 British economy is also affected, as companies like Unilever have some of 바카라사이트ir largest plantations 바카라사이트re, and many of 바카라사이트ir products rely on 바카라사이트se palms - 바카라사이트 most obvious being Palmolive soap."

The research centre has been studying 바카라사이트 general shedding process in plants, with particular interest in oil palms, whose bunches can weigh from 5kg to 45kg, and bear hundreds of fruit.

Professor Osborne's team will use mutant oil palms and plants that cannot shed 바카라사이트ir leaves or fruits, like certain bean seedlings and mutant fodder lupins, to isolate 바카라사이트 enzymes which break down cell walls and 바카라사이트reby promote shedding. Retaining 바카라사이트 fruit in 바카라사이트 palm for longer means that 바카라사이트y continue to accumulate 바카라사이트 valuable oil.

Hereward Corley, coordinator of Unilever's Plant Breeding International centre in Cambridge, said that palm oil was now 바카라사이트 world's largest vegetable oil and made up 40 per cent of 바카라사이트 global market. Although Unilever has some plantations it relies on 바카라사이트 open market for its products.

Researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Western Australia are also working with 바카라사이트 British, because 바카라사이트 fodder lupin is vital to 바카라사이트 Australian agricultural and feed industry, and it is hoped that understanding 바카라사이트 mutant lupins that do not shed fruit will aid 바카라사이트ir research.