Development of suspension culture system for in vitro propagation of date palm [electronic resource].

Includes references.

A reproducible and applicable protocol for in vitro propagation of date palm cv. Sewi (Egyptian semi-dry date palm cultivar), using suspension culture system was established, as a first step towards industrial production of date palm offshoots using bioreactors. The investigated factors included the efficacy of liquid and solid media, identification of the best liquid medium for the maturation and development of somatic embryos and the effect of activated charcoal. The obtained results revealed insignificant effect ofNAA (Naphthalene acetic acid) on the number of somatic embryos after two months of culturing in liquid system (shake flask system). The highest number of somatic embryos (129 embryos/ flask) was recorded in liquid basal MS medium, followed by (120.2 embryos/flask) on basal MS supplemented with 0.2 mg/l NAA. The obtained data also indicated that the number ofsomatic embryos formed in liquid system was about 2 to 10 times greater than that on the same corresponding solid media. Addition of activated charcoal has a positive effect on the number of somatic embryos in both solid and liquid systems. It could be concluded that, an improved and efficient protocol for date palm regeneration through somatic embryogenesis using suspension culture system was developed and further studies are needed to confirm the validity of the developed system on bioreactor level (scaling up).

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