A brief history of the evolution of the oil palm crop is provided, from domes-
tication and small-scale production in Africa (its centre of origin/diversity) to
crop expansion, especially in South-east Asia, in becoming the world’s top oil
crop. Knowledge of the biology and genetics of oil palm are fundamental in
understanding how the crop can be developed through crossing and breeding,
and key biological factors such as flowering, outcrossing and genetics are de-
scribed. A prerequisite for breeding is the crossing of parental lines that carry
desirable traits; thus, the germplasm (genetic variation) available to breeders
is critical for success. Traditional traits of interest are yield and quality. More
recently, disease and pest resistance have become important, as too have novel
traits that may be exploited in developing a crop that can be harvested mech-
anically. Crossing is not only performed to develop and improve elite breeding
lines but also is an essential component of commercial seed production.