Somatic embryogenesis in two Iranian date palm cultivars

Shoot tips were removed from 3 to 4 year-old offshoots of adult date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L. cv. Khanizi and Mordarsing) and were cultured on medium that consisted of Murashige and Skoog basal salts medium. After 12 months they were transferred to three different treatments of growth regulators. Five months later, cv. Khanizi produced embryogenic callus on a medium containing 453 ìM 2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 15 ìM N2-(2-isopentenyl)adenine (2ip), and 13 ìM 6-benzyl amino purine. This callus was subcultured to another medium that was supplemented with 54 ìM NAA and 148 ìM 2ip. At this stage the embryos grew into plantlets. The cv. Mordarsing explants, on a medium containing 679 ìM 2,4-D and 15 ìM 2ip, produced embryogenic callus but the embryos remained in the globular stage