*Author for Correspondence.
Advanced Biotechnology and Breeding Centre,
Biological Research Division,
Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB),
P.O. Box 10620, 50720 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Email: parveez@mpob.gov.my

Abstract.
The effectiveness of four antibiotics (kanamycin, geneticin G-418, paromomycin and hygromycin) and herbicide Basta as a selection agent for transformation of oil palm immature embryos was evaluated. The effectiveness of the selection agents was determined by identifying the minimal concentration of the selection agent required to fully inhibit the growth of oil palm immature embryos. Non-bombarded immature embryos were cultured on hormone-free germination medium containing varying concentrations (10 – 2000 mg/l) of the antibiotics and herbicide. In order to mimic the real transformation condition, bombarded immature embryos were also subjected to the same treatment. The immature embryos were subcultured into fresh medium after four (4) weeks and the growth of immature embryos were recorded every week up to eight (8) weeks. Among the five selection agents evaluated, herbicide Basta and hygromycin proved to be the most effective as they could inhibit the growth of immature embryos at 20 mg/l. Paromomycin and geneticin G-418 requires 100 mg/l and 500 mg/l, respectively, for inhibi­tion. Kanamycin is the least effective as it only inhibits 15% of the immature embryos grown at 2000 mg/l, demonstrating a high endogenous resistance of oil palm immature embryos. It was also demonstrated that the concentration of selection agents required to inhibit non-bombarded immature embryos was the same for bombarded immature embryos. In future experiments immature embryos will be transformed with Basta and hygromycin resistance genes.