Development of oil palm (elaesis guineensis JACQ) tissue culture protocol

Abstract

This research was carried out to find the most appropriate conditions and requirements needed to propagate Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) through tissue culture. The explants used were young non-chlorophyllous leaves or ‘cabbage’, immature inflorescence and zygotic embryos from Dura and Tenera seeds. Decontamination of Dura and Tenera seeds as well as cabbage explants was achieved by stirring the explants in a 10% Sodium hypochlorite solution for 5 minutes. A modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) tissue culture medium containing 84mg / l 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was much more successful in inducing callus from all the explants. Tissue culture media usually contain amino acids like Arginine, Asparagine, and Glutamine. In this experiment, complex organic compounds were used in place of standard amino acids. These were Casein hydrolosate, malt extract and coconut milk. The results obtained showed that, although the media containing complex organic compounds were able to induce callus, the best results were obtained from media containing standard amino acids. The media containing malt extract induced more callus than those containing Casein hydrolysate and coconut milk. With the successful decontamination of Oil palm explants and the initiation of callus from various explants on MS medium containing 84 mg/l 2,4-D, it is recommended that further work should be carried out to produce somatic embryos from callus produced from Oil palm explants.