Abstract

Oil palm’s enormous economic potential necessitates the genotype evaluation and conservation for its accelerated breeding programs. Hence, in this study, we have evaluated the somatic embryogenesis and regeneration potential of four elite genotypes P-1 (240D X 281D), P-2 (80D X 281D), C-1 (98C X 254D), and C-2 (98C X 208D). For callus induction and proliferation, zygotic embryos (ZEs) were cultured on N6 media supplemented with 2 mgL-1 Dicamba for 90 days. After induction, for somatic embryogenesis and maturation, embryogenic calli were cultured for 120 days in the N6 media with 0.1 mgL-1 2,4-D, 0.16 mgL-1 putrescine, 0.5 mgL-1 casein, and 2.0 g/L activated charcoal. Differentiated polyembryoids were, further, transferred into the regeneration media consisting of N6 with 0.5 mgL-1 NAA, 1.0 mgL-1 BAP, and 0.5 mgL-1 activated charcoal. Among the genotypes studied, P-2 and P-1 have shown the highest callus induction rate, embryogenic calli, differentiated polyembryoids, and more plantlets per somatic embryo cluster. Overall, P-2 and P-1 genotypes have shown conspicuous results over the C-1 and C-2 genotypes in the whole somatic embryogenesis and regeneration process from the matured ZEs of the dura.

Key words: Oil palm, Callus induction, Somatic embryogenesis, Genotype.