Molecular Biology: Open Access

In Vitro Culture of Date Palm (Phoeruix dactylifera L) Roots

Abstract

Fatima Musbah Abbas*

The accessional harvested from the 10-year-old Wad Loggi, date palm (Phoeruix dactylifera L) class trees planted in open field conditions. Several treatments were performed with the aim of this work to obtain plant roots free of fungal or bacterial contaminants. The root is repeatedly washed with running tap water followed by soaking for different exposure times at different concentrations of “Clorox”. The first experiment results showed that for 60 min soaking with a concentration of 30% “Clorox” gave a relatively higher number of contaminant-free culture tubes. In the second experiment, explants were immersed in an antioxidant solution as a pre-treatment for the “Clorox” for different exposure times. Presoaking in this solution for 60 min led to significant increases in the percentage of sterile implants compared to the “Clorox” treatment alone. A comparative study was conducted using utilizing antiseptic iodine as potential chemical sterility for date palm root explants and as an alternative to “Clorox” In the third experiment, the roots were soaked for different treatment duration in an iodine solution. The results of iodine treatment gave consistently higher rates of sterile root explants compared to “Clorox” treated roots yet were associated with paired iodine treatment at all times of exposure. Thus, the most advisable sequence of disinfestations for date palm roots obtained from mature trees appear to be as follows: frequent washing repeatedly with running tap water before immersing in an antioxidant solution for 60min. The surface of the soak-treated roots in “Clorox” solution for 60 min, rinsed three times before implanted in a nutrient medium.