Mature zygotic embryo rescue improves in vitro germination and seedling production in high value oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) cultivars

The world production of palm oil has been increasing at a rapid rate due to its overwhelming demand for edible oils and oil products, oleo-chemicals and for clean transportation energy fuel. The lengthy germination period of oil palm seeds presents a major drawback for the production and supply of seedlings at commercial level. The present study was therefore, carried out to appraise the in vitro germination potential of mature zygotic embryos (MZE) of 10 Tenera oil palm cultivars (CV 1-10). In vitro germination aptitude of MZE was tested on 10 modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) culture media (CM1-10). All the ten CV showed positive response to germination between 7-20 days. Nonetheless, significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences in germination percentage and organogenesis were noticed between CV and culture media. CV1 and CV5 scored the highest germination rate (90%) while the least germination rate of 14% was recorded in CV8. The most suitable culture medium (CM5) registered 72% germination while the least (48%) was observed in CM1 and CM8. The most robust plantlets with complete differentiation into a shoot and root axis occurred in CM2, CM5, CM7 and CM10. Complementing this embryo rescue with conventional method could help to scale up seed germination and through large-scale implementation boost seed production potential of oil palm hybrids.