Background

Tissue Culture Production

From Marrakech Date Palm Project (MDPP)

MDPP Tissue Culture

The MDPP includes one of the most important date palm tissue culture laboratories accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture in Morocco. The laboratory is located in Marrakech and contains the tissue culture derived date palms production building with a capacity of 80,000 plants/year and three acclimatization and hardening nurseries.

Technique Used by MDPP

MDPP uses organogenesis as the main in-vitro technique to mass propagate date palm. Organogenesis ensures true-to-typeness of the produced date palm material & consists of four steps: explant introduction & initiation of meristematic buds (starting stage), multiple shoot formation, elongation &, rooting.

Automation of the in-vitro process is in progress, with a Beta 2024 launch planned. The breeding program focuses on healthy, disease-free, and Bayoud-resistant female cultivars, as well as male palms with superior pollen and useful metaxenia characteristics that can be rapidly multiplied.

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Advantages of Date Palm Tissue Culture

  • Large-scale multiplication through an accelerated method of organogenesis and variants.
  • No seasonal limitations — plants can be multiplied year-round under controlled laboratory conditions.
  • Production of genetically uniform, high-quality plants.
  • Easy and fast exchange of plant material between regions or countries without any risk of spreading pests or diseases.
  • Economically reliable and efficient for large-scale production.