Somatic embryogenesis in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivars and the use of RAPD for detection of genetic stability of regenerated plantlets

The aim of this study was to study the genotype response for in-vitro propagation of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and to ensure the genetic stability of plantlets produced by tissue culture via somatic embryogenesis through RAPD-PCR technique. To achieve this, three cultivars (Shamran, Halawy and Medjool) were used for callus induction. The nodular creamish-white callus was produced on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium supplemented with 10 and 25 mg/l 2,4-D + BA (3 mg/l), 2-ip (1 mg/l) and activated charcoal (1.5 g/l). Somatic embryos were produced on MS medium with 0.1 mg/I BA in 30-40 days and they germinated into plantlets on the same medium. In RAPD-PCR of three cultivars, it was found that there was no variation between mother plant and their clones produced via somatic embryogenesis.