Induction of Flowering Onset of Date Palm in Tissue Culture condition

Abstract

Induction of flowering onset of date plam (Phoenix dactylifera L.) was investigated under controlled conditions in vitro to determine sex expression on this dioecious plant at early stages of ontogeny. Date plam seeds were sown aseptically in water agar and kept at 28°C in the dark for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 weeks prior to each experiments. The sprout tissue germinated from those seeds were excised and transferred to modified MS medium of various hormone combinations. Flower initiation were obtained from MS medium containing glucose 50 g/l, IAA 1 mg/l and BAP 1 mg/l at 28°C under exposion of light intensity 3000 lux for 16 hr. per day. Male and female flowers appeared on separate plantlets derived from sprout tissue explants within 6 months after cultured. Percentage of flowering onset were similar in both the male and female flowers. There were 15% of total plantlets could be induced to flowering in this observation.