Antioxidants Application Enhances Regeneration and Conversion of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Somatic Embryos

Many embryogenic systems have been designed to generate somatic embryos (SEs) with the morphology, biochemistry, and vigor uniformity of zygotic embryos (ZEs). During the current investigation, several antioxidants were added to the maturation media of the developing somatic embryos of date palm. Explant material was a friable embryogenic callus that was placed in maturation media containing ABA at 0.5 mg L-1, 5 g L-1 polyethylene glycol, and 10 g L-1 phytagel. Furthermore, alpha-tocopherol or reduced glutathione (GSH) were used separately at (25 and 50 mg L-1). These treatments were compared to a widely used date palm combination of reduced ascorbic acid (ASC) and citric acid at 150 and 100 mg L-1, respectively, and to the medium free from any antioxidants. The relative growth percentage of embryogenic callus (EC), globularization degree, differentiation%, and SEs number were significantly increased with GSH (50 mg L-1). Additionally, the latter treatment significantly enhanced the conversion% of SEs and the number of secondary somatic embryos (SSEs). ASC and citric acid treatment increased leaf length, while alpha-tochopherol (50 mg L-1) elevated the number of leaves plantlet(-1). GSH at 50 mg L-1 catalyzed the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) in EC and enhanced the accumulation of proteins in SEs.

Automated summary

The addition of antioxidant GSH in the maturation media of developing somatic embryos of date palm has been found to promote their growth and differentiation, increase the number of somatic embryos, enhance their conversion and formation of secondary somatic embryos. Additionally, GSH can also increase the activity of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase, as well as the accumulation of proteins in somatic embryos.