EMBRYOGENIC CALLUS INDUCTION AND REGENERATION EFFICIENCY IN DATE PALM

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is widely cultured for its medicinal and nutritional value as an edible fruit. Traditional vegetative propagation of date palm is time-consuming, requiring several years. However, modern biotechnological techniques, including plant tissue culture, have revolutionized mass production by significantly reducing the time required. Plant tissue culture involves using small tissues to grow and regenerate entire plants in an artificial (In Vitro) environment under sterile laboratory conditions. This study aimed to enhance the regeneration efficiency and induction of embryogenic callus in date palm. Callus induction was carried out using suckers of the date palm on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media with various concentrations of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in combination with different plant growth regulators (PGRs), including 2-isopentenyladenine (2iP), naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), benzylaminopurine (BAP), and indole acetic acid (IAA). Experiments were conducted in triplicate, with each hormonal treatment including three explants per replication. The best media combination for callus induction was MS + 2,4-D, 1.5 mgL-1 + 2ip 4 mgL-1 for variety Dakki and MS + 2,4-D 1.5mgL-1 + 2ip 5 mgL-1 for variety Hillavi in datepalm. Callus regeneration for Dakki was observed under treatment 3 containing MS + 3 mgL-1IAA + 1.5mgL-1 BAP took minimum days for callus regeneration. Hillavi took minimum days for callus regeneration under treatment 9 contains MS + 2ip 6 mgL-1 + IAA 1mgL-1. Hillavi took minimum days for shoot formation under treatment 2 contains MS + 1.5mg/L BAP + 1.5 mg/L IAA and Dakki took minimum days under treatment 8 containing different harmonal combination MS + 1mg/L IAA + 5 mg/L 2ip. Dakki took a minimum of days for new root formation under treatment 9 MS + 5 mgL -1 NAA + 4 mgL-1 IBA+4 mgL-1 IAA and Hillavi took minimum days under treatment 2 MS + 1 mgL -1 IAA + 1mgL-1 IBA. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) under a completely randomized design, and means were compared using the least significant difference (LSD) test.