Dynamics of morphological and anatomical changes in leaf tissues of an interspecific hybrid of oil palm during acquisition and development of somatic embryogenesis

Oil palm is an economically important plant species due to its high oil production per unit area. Large-scale clonal propagation of the species’s elite specimens is only possible through somatic embryogenesis, although methodology is partially still unknown and insufficiently understood. Current study characterizes in morphological and anatomical terms the acquisition and development stages of somatic embryogenesis of the oil palm’s immature leaves. The respective embryogenic stages were analyzed and characterized: immature leaves (initial explants); leaves with calli formation; leaves which failed to respond to calli formation; leaves with formation of root structures; primary calli; primary calli with differentiation of embryogenic calli; embryogenic calli; pro-embryogenic calli; calli with differentiated somatic embryos; somatic embryos at globular and torpedo stage; and mature fruit zygotic embryos. Cell masses emerged after approximately 60 days of cultivation through the proliferation of cells associated to initial explants´ vascular bundles. Consequently, the formation of two different types of calli was identified, namely, primary and embryogenic, respectively consisting partially and completely of meristematic cell clusters. After 420 days of cultivation, the propagules formed somatic embryos with no connection to source tissues, initially composed (globular stage) of a very characteristic ground meristem and protoderm. After 480 days of cultivation, as the cultures matured (torpedo stage), procambial strands, a structural characteristic also observed in mature zygotic embryos, were reported. The results provide an in-depth understanding of somatic embryogenesis of immature leaves of oil palm. Further, current analysis develops morphological markers at different stages of development obtained during the process.