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 effec t of this technique on the recovery of plantlets, and the applicability of the synthetic seed technology to Citrus reticulata Blanco. Frequencies of c onversion of somatic embryos on plant growth medium were 15.0%, 26.7% and 5 0.0%, respectively, when the somatic embryos were sown non-encapsulated, en capsulated with a hormone-less artificial endosperm or encapsulated with an artificial endosperm containing GA(3). Encapsulation with GA(3) was also u seful for storage of somatic embryos at 4 degrees C for one month; when sow n on perlite medium, conversion frequencies were 25% with encapsulated soma tic embryos against 5% with non-encapsulated embryos. Sowing on soil mix me dium did not result in satisfactory conversion.