<![CDATA[Somatic embryogenesis plays an important role in oil palm clone regeneration by enabling large-scale propagation of genetically uniform planting materials. Nevertheless, the practical implementation of this technique remains challenging, particularly due to the low efficiency of callus induction andembryos formation. This study aimed to evaluate the morphological characteristics and histochemical profiles associated with embryogenic development during oil palm somatic embryogenesis. The materials used consisted of callus and somatic embryos derived from Pisifera and Tenera genotypes with La Mé genetic background, each represented by four replications. Histochemical analyses were carried out using iodine potassium iodide (IKI) solution for starch detection, Millon’s reagent for protein localization, and potassium dichromate for phenolic compounds, followed by semi-quantitative intensity scoring on a 0-3 scale. Morphological observations identified four callus types, namely compact, aqueous, nodular, and aggregated, while embryo developmental progressed thorough globular, heart and scutellar phases. Histochemical analysis revealed that clone P1 showed the highest starch and protein accumulation (1.87) with relatively low phenolic content (1.22). In contrast, clone P2 exhibited the highest phenolic intensity (1.87) and the lowest starch accumulation (0.71). Clones P3 and P4 displayed relatively balanced metabolite accumulation patterns (1.58-1.87), suggesting more stable physiological condition during somatic embryo development. Two-way ANOVA demonstrated significant effect of metabolite type (starch, phenolics, and protein) and developmental phase (P1- P4) on staining intensity, with a significant interaction between both factors (P<0.0001). Overall, these findings indicate that the histochemical profiles reflect the physiological status of tissues and may provide preliminary insights into embryogenic development during oil palm somatic embryogenesis.]]>
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