Abstract
Abstract
The oil extracted from the mesocarp of oil palm (
Elaeis guineensis
, Jacq.) drupes is the world’s leading source of vegetable oil. Oil palm cultivation requires large amounts of mineral nutrients supplied through fertilization, representing a major production cost. Among essential nutrients, potassium (K⁺) plays a critical role in plant growth and fruit development. However, the mechanisms underlying K⁺ transport and its relationship with yield remain poorly understood. Here, we identified and characterized
EgKT2-1
, a Shaker-like potassium channel belonging to the AKT2-like subfamily. Quantitative PCR analyses showed that
EgKT2-1
is expressed in leaves, meristem, and during early fruit development, with higher transcript abundance during early fruit development coinciding with increased K⁺ accumulation. In situ hybridization localized
EgKT2-1
transcripts to the root cortex and phloem tissues, leaf palisade parenchyma, and mesocarp cells during early fruit development. These expression patterns are consistent with a potential contribution of
EgKT2-1
to K⁺ transport and allocation between source and sink tissues. Although sequence similarity places
EgKT2-1
within the weakly rectifying AKT2-like subfamily, electrophysiological characterization in
Xenopus laevis
oocytes revealed inwardly rectifying channel activity, suggesting a potential role in K⁺ uptake.
EgKT2-1
expression was higher in an oil palm progeny C3 which exhibited greater K⁺ allocation to aerial organs and greater oil yield. Together, these findings identify EgKT2-1 as an inwardly rectifying K⁺ channel potentially involved in K⁺ transport and redistribution during oil palm development and suggest a correlation between
EgKT2-1
expression, K⁺ allocation, and oil yield variation.