Abstract

This study was conducted at the Laboratory of Plant Tissue Culture of the Palm Research Center / University of Basra from March 2010 to September 2011. The aim is to determine the effect of the use of activated charcoal and sucrose on the multiplication of shoots, rate of elongation, average number of roots and length of plantlets of date palms C.v Elsafada in vitro. Activated charcoal concentrations were zero, 0.5, 0.75, 1, and 1.25 g/l. Those of sucrose were 20 (control), 35, 50, 65, and 80 (g/l). Nutritional media were prepared with some other chemical substances as well as 3 mg/l Naphthalene acetic and 10 mg/l 2-Isopentenyl adenine (2iP). Transplants were incubated under illumination intensity lighting of 1000 Lux for 16 h a day and a temperature of 27 ± 1°C. A re-culture was done every four weeks. The use of 0.75 g/l of activated charcoal caused a significant improvement in the percentages of shoots multiplication (9.6%), rate of elongation (7.3 cm), number of roots (4.6 root/plantlets) and their length. However, the 0.5 concentration exceeded others in root length (5.3 cm). Use of 65 g/l sucrose increased the multiplication ratio (5.3%), elongation (7 cm) and number of roots (4.6 root/plantlet). While use of 80 g/l led to higher length of roots (5.8 cm) compared to the other concentrations. Results also showed that the use of 0.5 g/l activated charcoal and 65 g/l sucrose improved the multiplication ratio (9.2%), elongation (8.1 cm) and average number of roots (5.3 root/plantlet). Furthermore, the treatment of 0.75 g/l activated charcoal and 65 g/l sucrose significantly increased the average of root length (6.9 cm) compared to other treatments.

Key words: Date palm, elongation, activated charcoal.