In Vitro Germination and Acclimatization of Sugar Palm (Arenga pinnata Wurmb Merr.)

Abstract

Sugar palm (Arenga pinnata Wurmb Merr.) is a multipurpose tree which provides different products with high economic values and plays an important role in small, integrated farming systems of rural communities in Asia. However, its cultivation is hindered by the limitations of recalcitrant seeds and prolonged dormancy. Thus, an in vitro germination protocol of sugar palm was carried out as an alternative propagation method using mature seeds, young seeds and immature zygotic embryos as explants. Optimized germination including shoot/roots emergence were evaluated on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of PGRs. The highest frequency of the in vitro germination of sugar palm was observed from the immature zygotic embryo explant cultured on MS medium supplemented with PGRs (100%), while the least germination rate (30%) was recorded on basal MS medium after 8 weeks of culture. Young seed and mature seed explants sown directly on moistened soil for viability test proved dormancy. In vitro germination of explants was depended on genotype and treatments. Complete plantlets formation was observed after 7–9 months of culture. In vitro plantlets with roots were successfully acclimatized in soil: peat moss: perlite (40:40:20) substrates mixture with 80% survival rate after 4 months.