Improvement of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) by Using Cell Suspensions

The production of somatic embryos from callus was performed on vegetative and floral explants of female trees of two cultivars of date palm from two different Algerian regions: 'Deglet Nour' from the South-East and 'Takerbucht' from the South-West. The callogenesis of explants needs the cultivation in the total darkness on varied culture media with different combinations and concentrations of growth regulators. Obtaining a large mass in callus is desired for the establishment of cell suspensions. The cell suspension was initiated in liquid medium containing low concentrations of 2,4-D. Washing cell suspensions with a free growth regulators medium is necessary. Two types of callus are obtained: nodular and friable, the latest showed good behavior for the initiation of cell suspension in our experimental conditions. The cell suspension contains embryogenic cell aggregates and proembryos. The number and capacity of regeneration on solid media appear to be dependent on the cultivar used. The transfer of embryogenic masses previously initiated on the liquid medium containing 2 mg L-1 of 2,4-D to a solid medium enriched with BAP at 5 mu moles induces the installation of the shoot meristem in embryonic structures generated. The removal of growth regulators 7 days after allows the growth of green leaves with the development of fine white roots. An important development of initiated roots is promoted with the addition of 0.1 mg L-1 NAA to the culture medium. An enzyme and embryogenic cell suspension mixture was used for protoplasts isolation. Protoplasts yield was estimated using a Nageotte hematocymeter.