Effects of encapsulation on Citrus reticulata Blanco somatic embryo conversion

Preliminary experiments on calcium-sodium alginate encapsulation of somatic embryos from anther culture were performed, in order to evaluate the effect of this technique on the recovery of plantlets, and the applicability of the synthetic seed technology to Citrus reticulata Blanco. Frequencies of conversion of somatic embryos on plant growth medium were 15.0%, 26.7% and 50.0%, respectively, when the somatic embryos were sown non-encapsulated, encapsulated with a hormone-less artificial endosperm or encapsulated with an artificial endosperm containing GA(3). Encapsulation with GA(3) was also useful for storage of somatic embryos at 4 degrees C for one month; when sown on perlite medium, conversion frequencies were 25% with encapsulated somatic embryos against 5% with non-encapsulated embryos. Sowing on soil mix medium did not result in satisfactory conversion.