04/12/2012 (Bernama) - Genting Plantation Bhd, via unit, ACGT Sdn Bhd, is collaborating with DuPont, a global innovation and science company, to increase oil palm yield and unlock the natural potentials of the crop.

ACGT chief executive officer, Derrik Khoo Sin Huat, said the collaboration would leverage on DuPont's suite of scientific crop yield innovations and enable the company to introduce marker-assisted selection to identify high-performance oil palm breeds.

"The collaboration will accelerate the use of genes and biomarkers to identify superior oil palms for the plantation industry," he told reporters after the signing ceremony here today.

The collaboration document was signed by Genting Plantation chief executive officer Yong Chee Kong while DuPont was represented by its Asean group managing director, Hsing Ho.

Khoo said the marker-assisted selection would shorten the time for a palm oil breed research to six years from 11 using the traditional selection system.