Abstract
The Oasis of Bou-Saada is gradually deteriorating due to the attack of insect pests such as white scale Parlatoria blanchardi Targ., the palm worm Myelois ceratoniae Zell and some fungal pests. In addition, polluted irrigation water coming from the wadi Bou-Saada has seriously damaged the oasis palm. Consequently, 23 promising date palm varieties are facing extinction. The Rehabilitation of the oasis palms of Bou-Sanda requires mass propagation of the endangered date palm varieties to conserve the fauna and the genotypes. The Tissue Culture technique is the only method through which date palm oases Bou-Sanda can be restored in a short period as compared to growing the trees through seeds or offshoots. As the first phase of conservation of the oases, this research project was initiated whereas propagation of two highly promising varieties Deglet-Nour and Mech-Degla was carried out through tissue culture technique on MS medium using various concentrations of three different hormones (AIB, GA3, 2,4-D) to obtain organogenesis. Results revealed that the growth in length of explants of the variety Deglet-Nour and its overall development was better as compared to the variety Mech-Degla with the AIB (2mg/l). The GA3 hormone performed the best in relation to the development of organogenesis in the two varieties followed by AIB hormone than the 2,4-D with overall mean lengths of 1.36, 1,26 and 0.84 centimetres, respectively. The formation of the callus was noticed only in the case of the variety Deglet-Nour.