Factors Affecting In Vitro Multiplication of Date Palm

Rapid method of in vitro multiplication of date palm was developed. Shoot tips were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2 mg dm^–3 dimethylaminopurine (2iP) + 1 mg dm^–3 naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Shoot buds were proliferated from white nodular cultures on hormone free medium. Shoot bud proliferation strongly enhanced when cultured on MS-medium contained 3 mg dm^–3 2iP + 0.5 mg dm^–3 NAA. Culturing on full-strength MS medium showed higher multiplication rate compared with half-strength MS medium. Among four concentrations of sucrose used, 30 g dm^–3 speeded up the bud proliferation more than 10, 20 and 40 g dm^–3. However, the largest shoot buds were observed with 40 g dm^–3 sucrose. Solidification of culture media by 1.75 g dm^–3Phytagel showed the highest proliferation rate, but the largest buds were observed with 1 g dm^–3Phytagel.