Olive rootstock production from Olea europea Var. Chemlal cultured in vitro

In Algeria, the local variety of Kabylia (Olea europea L. Chemlal Var.) has always attracted particular attention because of the high taste quality of its oil. The aim of our experiment was the quick production of rootstock from zygotic embryos. The embryos were cultured on MS (Muraschige and Skoog) medium supplemented with hormones either singly or in combinations. The addition of 3- indoleacetic acid resulted in rapid embryo growth. However, the phyllotaxy was often modified. The hormonal combination of 6-benzylaminopurine and 3- indoleacetic acid provided in vitro plants with short shoots and very green leaves. It also resulted in the regeneration of adventitious roots on a cotyledonous leaf. Young plants with large pivot-roots and two pairs of leaves grafted onto strong stalks were obtained with the hormonal combination 6-benzylaminopurine and naphthalene-acetic acide. Sixty per cent of the plants were viable.