The use of blue-green algae in increasing the efficiency of the tissue culture system in date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. cv. “Barhee”

The present study was carried out in the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Basrah, Iraq for the period 2015-2017. The aim of the study was to add the biomass extracts of Oscillatoria tenuis to the media for in vitro culture of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cv. Barhee to determine its effect on shoot proliferation. The MS medium supplemented with 20% of the biomass water extract of blue-green algae resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of response to proliferation and rooting of the shoots. The same treatment resulted in an increase in the number of shoots producing from proliferation, primary adventitious roots, total chlorophyll content, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in leaf. The treatment control recorded the lowest values in all the traits mentioned above. The results of the study showed that the irrigation treatment of 20% of the biomass water extract of blue-green algae resulted in a significant increase in the plant survivor rate, plant height and the number of leaves of the acclimatized plants; while the control gave the lowest values in all the traits mentioned above.