Effect of plant growth regulators on the development of ex vitro date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Barhi cv. plantlets.

This work studied the effect of some growth regulators on date palm plantlets Barhi cv. during acclimatization stage to have healthy and vigorous plants. The plantlets were fertilized by nutrient solution contained 5.0 g/l complete fertilizer and different concentrations of growth regulators twice a week The seedlings were treated by different auxins (NAA and IBA), cytokinins (BA and Kin) and GA3 with different combinations among them under greenhouse conditions. The results indicated that, the treatment of date palm cv. Barhi plants with IBA at 10.0 mg/l for 18 months was more effective than other treatments during the ex vitro development. Although Kin treatments produced strong plants compared to BA, differences were not significant between them and also1.0 mg/l Kin was more effective concentration on growth of date palm plants. The increasing of GA3 concentrations from 0.0 to 1.0 mg/l was more effective on leaves number, pinnate leaf number, leaf length, roots number and root length. On the other hand, GA3 has no effect on diameter of bulb of date palm plants cv. Barhi. Concerning, the interactions among growth regulators (IBA, Kin and GA3) data showed that, the treatments of ex vitro date palm plants by 10.0 mg/l IBA + 1.0 mg/l KIN + 1.0 mg/l GA3 for 18 months positively affected on the adaptation and development.