A method for predicting a 'mantled' phenotype in oil palm plants and minimizing the percentage of oil palm plants with a 'mantled' phenotype in a culture, and polynucleotide to be used therein

摘要

The present invention provides a method for predicting a mantled phenotype in oil palm plants, comprising analyzing DNA material from tissue samples oil palm plants for the degree of methylation in a genomic region contained in the genome of the oil palm plant. The method of the invention can be applied for predicting a mantled phenotype in oil palm plants, in particular for predicting in young oil palms the development of a mantled phenotype in a later stage of their life cycle. Method of the invention can also be applied to identify cultures with a high risk of producing ramets that will develop a mantled phenotype. The invention thus also relates to a method to minimize the percentage of oil palm plants with a mantled phenotype in a culture. The invention also provides an isolated polynucleotide for use as a biomarker in a method to predict a mantled phenotype in oil palms.