Commercial Date Palm Tissue Culture Procedures and Facility Establishment

Abstract

Tissue culture techniques are commonly used for the purpose of mass vegetative propagation in many plant species. Important aspects of in vitro techniques are mainly the nature of plant material, suitable nutrient media composition, controlled growth conditions and maintaining strict aseptic conditions. Tissue culture provides a means for rapid mass clonal propagation of desired cultivars, and a mechanism for somatic hybridization and in vitro selection of novel genotypes. The need for date palm tissue culture came about because offshoots that are traditionally used for propagation cannot satisfy the urgent needs for large quantities of planting material. Several laboratories worldwide initiated in vitro propagation of date palm using either organogenesis or somatic embryogenesis techniques. This chapter includes a description of in vitro regeneration of date palm through the organogenesis pathway with a detailed guideline to establish a commercial plant tissue culture facility suitable for mass propagation of various plant species including date palm. Procedures including the source of explants material, disinfection, initiation, multiplication media and incubation conditions are well detailed. The focus made by the authors is on the laboratory initial establishment and nature of needed equipment and supplies. The quality control aspect is also well detailed along with the required safety measures. The establishment implementation plan and estimated budget of both the laboratory and the greenhouses are also presented.