Effect of water stress on callus induction from shoot tips of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.)‎ cv. Bream cultured in vitro

Abstract EN

The experiment carried out at plant cells and tissue culture laboratory, College of Education University of Basra, in 2010; on shoot tips quarters of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cv.

Bream. Shoot tips quarters were cultured on MS nutrient medium with addition of sucrose, sodium di-hydrogen orthophosphate, thiamine, Myo-inositol, activated charcoal, agar and using auxin 2,4-D and cytokinin BA as growth regulators. Water stress was induced by using Polyethylene glycol (PEG 3000) in concentrations of (0, 10 and 20) %. The results indicate that using PEG 3000 with previous concentrations caused significant increase in callus fresh weight when compared with nutrient medium free of PEG 3000 with no significant difference between the two concentrations; while there was a significant increase in somatic embryos produced by nutrient medium with 10% PEG 3000 compared with that having 20% PEG or control treatment free of PEG.