Effect of Ancymidol and Phloroglucinol on the Number and the Quality of Shoots in the Micropropagation of Date Palm (<i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> L.)

Abstract The disadvantages of practical date palm micropropagation are tissue browning, low callus proliferation rate, low multiplication efficiency, and vitrification. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of ancymidol (Ancy) and phloroglucinol (PG) on the growth and some biochemical components of the ‘Barhee’ date palm cultured in vitro . The combination of 0.75 mg·l −1 Ancy and 50 mg·l −1 PG was found to be the most effective in terms of callus regeneration rate (89%) and number of shoots (14.3). A reduction in browning was observed in tissues cultured on media supplemented with 0.75 mg·l −1 Ancy in combination with 25 or 50 mg·l −1 PG. The medium supplemented with 0.75 mg·l −1 Ancy and 50 mg·l −1 PG eliminated shoot vitrification. Effective micropropagation was associated with increased carbohydrate and protein content. In this study, the genetic stability of plants obtained by micropropagation was confirmed by DNA-based RAPD fingerprinting. The results may indicate that the micropropagation protocol used in this study was suitable and applicable to the production of genetically stable date palm plants on a mass scale.