Desiccation-enhanced maturation and germination of date palm somatic embryos derived from cell suspension culture

Abstract

In vitro plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis is a powerful tool for rapid, large-scale production of healthy true-to-type plants. This approach is suitable to preserve existing natural genetic variability and propagation of variability generated from genetic improvement programs, including crossing, somaclonal variation, mutagenesis, and somatic hybridization. This chapter outlines a simplified protocol for date palm regeneration via somatic embryogenesis induced in cell suspension cultures. In this protocol, culture medium composition is manipulated, including plant growth regulators and solid (addition of agar) and liquid media to achieve reduction of production cycle of somatic embryogenesis, which increases the multiplication rate of embryogenic callus and improves the quantity and quality of somatic embryos.