Pollen Load and Its Viability of Oil Palm on Male Weevils Elaeidobius kamerunicus Faust.

Abstract

Elaeidobius kamerunicus Faust. is a weevil pollinator of oil palm. These weevil transfer pollen from male to female inflorescences of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). The aim of the research were to study pollen load and its viability on male weevils E. kamerunicus as a pollinator of oil palm. Male weevil E. kamerunicus was submerged in etanol 70% : gliserol (4:1) solution and was rotated during 24 hours. After those, weevil was outed, the solution was sentrifugated and pollen in each individual weevil was counted with haemacytometer. Other weevils were immobilized by ethyl acetate were counted of pollen loads in each body of the weevil. To measure viability pollen, were germinated in sucrose 8% and boric acid 15 ppm solution and were counted its viability after 2 hours of treatment. Result showed that male weevil E. kamerunicus carried 3258 pollen grains. Most pollen grains were carried by weevil in the elytra (1067 pollen grains), head (495 pollen grains), and abdomen (296 pollen grains), respectively. Less pollen (27 pollen grains) attached in antenna. The pollen shape of oil palm is triangel with aperture type, that is tricolpata, 38 μm in long and 30 μm in wide. In the germination process, pollen tube’s long between was 60 μm-700 μm. Pollen viability carried by male weevils was 74,18%.