Abstract
The potential of biochemical and molecular markers in sex identification of in vivo grown and in vitro differentiated cultures of date palm was investigated. In vitro zygotic lines were proliferated from both mature and immature zygotic embryos of date palm. The mature embryo showed more potential in the in vitro differentiation responses compared with immature embryos. Incorporation into tissue culture medium of 3 mg/L 2ip + 5 mg/L 2,4-D gave the highest percentages of embryo germination and growth. Biochemical markers presented as enzyme activities was used for identification of sex type of date palm cultures. High levels of peroxidase activity were observed in adult female and offshoot female samples. Acid phosphatase and glutamate oxaloacetate enzymes gave a strong difference between male and female date palm. Early estimation of sex type of in vitro differentiated lines has been realized using the activity levels of the two enzymes. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to compare genetic material from male, female and unknown lines of date palm. RAPD analysis showed a relatively close relation between the two females (adult and offshoot) cultures, as they shared a large number of homologous bands. Although there is low relationship between male and female, results of similarity could not confirm link to sex or estimate the sex type of unknown clones.