Influence of pH of culture medium on fungal contaminants and growth response of Barhi cultivar date palm explants (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in vitro

Alasadi, Ramiz Mahdi Salih (author), Ahmed, Alaa Naser (author), Tuaimah, Mohammed Hadi (author), Alnaqeb, Haitham (author)

Date palm is commonly propagated through tissue culture techniques; however, this method often encounters complications, particularly fungal contamination. The effects of varying pH levels on fungal development and explant response in vitro are the focus of the research. Morphological and molecular assessments led to the identification of three fungal species: Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissl., Chaetomium globosum Kunze and Nigrospora osmanthi Mei Wang & L. Cai were the most prevalent, with A. alternata being the most frequently observed. Among the tested pH levels, pH 5 had the most pronounced impact on the radial expansion of the fungi. In terms of shoot development within the tissue culture environment, overall shoot growth of date palm was not significantly influenced by pH levels. However, shoot length exhibited notable differences at pH 5, 5.5, and 6, measuring 4.2 cm, 4.6 cm, and 5.1 cm, respectively. Furthermore, the amino acid concentration in leaf tissues varied with pH, peaking at 50.6 mg per 100 g of tissue at pH 5. Carbohydrate levels in the leaves were also pH-dependent, with the highest value of 29.26 mg g-1 at pH 6 and the lowest (0.34 mg g-1) at pH 5.

• Language: English
• Keywords: date palm tree, fungi, tissue culture, callus, shoots, contamination
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 122, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180470
• UDC: 632
• ISSN on article: 1854-1941
• DOI: 10.14720/aas.2026.122.1.22362
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271090691
• Publication date in RUL: 10.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta agriculturae Slovenica
• Publisher: Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za agronomijo in Oddelek za zootehniko, Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za agronomijo in Oddelek za zootehniko, Univerza v Ljubljani, Biotehniška fakulteta, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 1854-1941
• COBISS.SI-ID: 219581184

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Vpliv pH gojišča na glivne kontaminante in odziv na rast eksplantatov datljevca ‘Barhi’ (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in vitro
• Keywords: datljeva palma, glive, tkivna kultura, kalus, poganjki, kontaminacija