Fig. 1

Comparison of the abscission zone, mesocarp and pedicel tissues at the base of the oil palm fruit in response to ethylene and during natural abscission in the field. The mesocarp (m) is above and the pedicel (p) is below the abscission zone (AZ) in all photos. a cell separation occurs in the ripe fruit (150 DAP) primary AZ after 9 h of ethylene treatment, but only to a limited extent in the adjacent AZs which are difficult to discern (black arrows). b and c no cell separation is observed in the tissues (pedicel, mesocarp and AZ), at the base of 30 DAP fruit in the field, or treated with ethylene for 9 h (d and e). c and e, Higher magnification view of AZ from 30 DAP fruit in the field and treated with ethylene for 9 h respectively. f and g No cell separation is observed in the tissues (pedicel, mesocarp and AZ) at the base of 120 DAP fruit in the field. h 160 DAP AZ prior to cell separation and after cell separation (i) that occurred during natural abscission in the field. j Higher magnification view of 160 DAP fruit AZ cells separated on pedicel and on the mesocarp side (k) of AZ that underwent natural abscission in the field. Scale bars are 100 μm