Abstract —This study describes a procedure for induction and proliferation of somatic embryos of calli induced from leaf and inflorescence tissues of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). Calli with embryogenic competence were cultured on modified Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 0.5 g/L glutamine, 0.1 g/L adenine sulphate plus 2,4-D (2.5, 5.0 mg/L) and NAA (2.5, 5.0 mg/L). Other additives were sucrose at 30 g/L and agar at 8 g/L. Media was pH 5.8, before autoclaving at 121o C, 1Kg cm-2 pressure for 15-20 min. Cultures were incubated at 25 ± 20C under continuous light at 200 lux. All the treatments produced normal somatic embryos which are whitish with smooth surface detaching from the callus. Somatic embryos formed readily from leaf-derived callus than that of inflorescence at relatively lower concentrations of 2.5 mg/L 2,4-D. However, the PGR-free medium was more efficient for embryo multiplication with an almost indefinite proliferation of mature somatic embryos.
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