title: Environmental regulation of sex determination in oil palm: current knowledge and insights from other species.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is a monoecious species of the palm subfamily Arecoideae. It may be qualified as 'temporally dioecious' in that it produces functionally unisexual male and female inflorescences in an alternating cycle on the same plant, resulting in an allogamous mode of reproduction. The 'sex ratio' of an oil palm stand is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. In particular, the enhancement of male inflorescence production in response to water stress has been well documented.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper presents a review of our current understanding of the sex determination process in oil palm and discusses possible insights that can be gained from other species. Although some informative phenological studies have been carried out, nothing is as yet known about the genetic basis of sex determination in oil palm, nor the mechanisms by which this process is regulated. Nevertheless new genomics-based techniques, when combined with field studies and biochemical and molecular cytological-based approaches, should provide a new understanding of the complex processes governing oil palm sex determination in the foreseeable future. Current hypotheses and strategies for future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: IRD, UMR DIADE, Centre IRD, 911 avenue Agropolis, 34394 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Collin
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Richaud
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beulé
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cros
authors.forename: Alphonse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Omoré
authors.forename: Leifi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nodichao
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nouy
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Tregear
mesh_terms: D028023:Arecaceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D017343:Genes, Plant; D056626:Inflorescence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis; D012744:Sex Ratio