Recording.

Abstract Careful recording is an important component of field trialling. In addition to the target traits of interest, all conditions that appear during the trial should be recorded as well as anything unusual or noteworthy. All the data are used in assessing the value of the materials being tested. Recording methods may differ among oil palm research stations. However, some methods are commonly used and these are described in this chapter. Scored traits include yield and yield components (including bunch and oil analysis), growth (height increment), occurrence of common pests, diseases and physiological disorders, nutrient deficiencies and toxicities. New traits include those that can be exploited in developing mechanical harvesting systems in oil palm (fruit colour, long bunch stalks and late fruit abscission or the opposite - total fruit abscission).