Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran

Protocol for Production and Propagation of Majul Date Palm through Somatic Embryogenesis

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is a monocotyledonous and dioecious plant belonging to the Arcaceae family. Archaeological evidence suggests that Iraq is the center of origin for this plant. Most date orchards are located in Middle Eastern countries, where the date palm tree and its fruit hold significant commercial, cultural, and religious importance. In date-producing countries, this industry not only forms a crucial part of the diet but also plays an important role in their macroeconomy. With a production of over 1.3 million tons, Iran ranks third in the world for date production, following Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Today, date palm propagation is conducted through tissue culture methods. Plant tissue culture technique is a commercial propagation method that can provide the necessary plant materials to achieve the goals of development, rejuvenation, and improvement of the country's date palm orchards. In vitro date palm cultivation is performed using two methods: somatic embryogenesis and direct organogenesis. The first micropropagation method is somatic embryogenesis, which is based on calluses derived from the meristem. Somatic embryogenesis is one of the most common techniques for regenerating date palm plants. It is a successful method widely used for mass propagation of date palms worldwide. In recent years, the cultivation area of superior dry and semi-dry date varieties has significantly expanded. Harvesting, storage, and transportation at lower costs have encouraged farmers to cultivate these varieties. One of these varieties is the "Medjool" date, known as the "king of dates." Its characteristics include large, soft fruits with yellow-orange flesh, and a pleasant taste and aroma. Both male and female Majul date palms are popular for their attractive appearance and natural beauty, and both types are used for architectural design and decoration. The average yield is 12 tons per hectare, which is nearly double the national annual average yield. By allocating only 20% of Iran's date cultivation area to the Majul variety, the country could increase its annual date production by 360,000 tons, significantly impacting the date-producing regions and improving the livelihood of date farmers. At the Biotechnology Research Institute, the protocol and technical knowledge for this variety have been successfully developed through somatic embryogenesis after years of research. This technical knowledge has been fully transferred to the Balochistan Research Center.