LARGE SCALE IN VITRO PROPAGATION OF A RARE AND UNIQUE MALE DATE PALM (PHOENIX DACTYLIFERA L.) USING INFLORESCENCES TECHNIQUE

Since tissue culture was developed as a means of large scale propagation of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), the offshoots growing at the base of the mother tree constituted the only source of explants used for the initiation stage. Because of the low success level at this starting stage, a large number of offshoots were often needed. But in some date varieties, this quality of plant material is not always available, and there are even cases where no offshoots are produced at all. No offshoots were available of an Al Ain city male, a unique date palm having many interesting and exceptional metaxenia effects Inflorescences were the only source of primary explants for the large scale propagation of this specimen. Following the steps for organogenesis (initiation, multiplication, elongation and rooting), of vitro plants were produced. By use of this technique, several thousand plantlets were produced, acclimatized and planted in the field, demonstrating that large scale in vitro propagation using an inflorescence technique is possible.