Abstract

Somatic embryogenesis has been widely studied in olive tree (Olea europaea L.); however, there is no common protocol for regeneration within olive tree genotypes. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of different media, previously used to induce somatic embryos in olive tree, on the embryogenic capacity of leaf and petiole explants of Picual olive cultivar. Leaf and petiole explants taken from in vitro grown shoots of this cultivar, were cultured for 4,8 and 12 weeks on 2 different induction media. The formed calli were morphologically different; however, histological observations showed embryogenic cells in all of them. After induction in OM supplemented with 31.78 ?M thidiazuron (TDZ) and 0.53 ?M 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) culture for 4 weeks on plant growth regulator-free MS, globular somatic embryos were observed on all the explants. The highest percentage of somatic embryos-formation (18%) was observed on petioles after 12 weeks induction. OM supplemented with 0.44?M 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), 0.24?M indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 0.49?M 6-(dimethylallylamino) purine (2iP) induced the formation of multi-cotyledonary embryoids.