Micropropagation of Eight Moroccan and French Olive Cultivars

The responses of several Moroccan and French olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars to various strategies for in vitro establishment and culture were compared. A cultivar effect was clearly observed with 'Haouzia' cultivar being more readily multiplied. ZR produced the best response in all the cultivars studied, in particular when considering the time elapsed between explant inoculation and budbreak for 50% of the explants (lag phase), growth of the primary shoot and the multiplication rate. Treatments with BA alone or combined with NAA increased the number of axillary buds and internodes without improving their growth. Root induction with IBA in the dark using a two-phase scheme resulted in the best rooting rate in shoots obtained in vitro, and this for all cultivars. Chemical names used: 6-benzyladenine (BA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), alpha-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), zeatin riboside (ZR). More than 70% of olive trees multiplied in