In vitro Morphogenesis of Arabian Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.)

Abstract

After inoculation of young leaves of date palm offshoot required about six months to complete the morphogenesis process. Fourteen weeks were required for embryogenic callus formation under continuous dark condition and nine weeks for shoot initiation (under 16/8 h light/dark). The highest number of explants (80%) produced callus in modified MS containing 5 mg/l 2,4-D + 2 mg/l 2ip. Sixty per cent of explants produced callus in the modified medium containing 5 mg/l 2,4-D + 5 mg/l NAA. while only 50 per cent of the explants formed callus in the same medium when supplemented with only 5 mg/l 2,4-D. The induced calli were transferred to modified MS for shoot proliferation. A combination of two cytokines showed better performance than single ones in shoot induction. The highest percentage (70) of shoot developed in modified MS containing 2 mg/l BAP + 1 mg/l Kn. Forty per cent shoot induction was found in the same medium supplemented with 2 mg/l of BAP. Thirty per cent shoot formed in MS containing 1 mg/l of Kn. The shoots were subcultured at three- four week intervals throughout culture duration.

D. O. I. http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ptcb.v23i2.17522

Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 23(2): 211-219, 2013  (December)