Induction of synchronous secondary somatic embryogenesis in Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze

Nutritional effect of nitrate salts of potassium and ammonium, together wit h different concentrations of sulphate salts of aluminium, potassium, magne sium, and ammonium on secondary somatic embryogenesis, were investigated. N itrate salts of potassium (9.39 mmol/L) and ammonium (10.31 mmol/L) with on ly 1.5 mmol/L potassium sulphate produced maximum number of synchronous sec ondary embryos (i.e. 20-25 secondary embryos per primary embryo in 91.6 % r esponsive explants). Of the different factorial combinations of glutamine, BAP, and IBA tested, maximum number of synchronous secondary embryos developed on a medium suppl emented with 8.88 mu mol/L BAP, 0.98 mu mol/L IBA and 10 mmol/L glutamine. Synchronous and normal development of secondary embryos could thus be obtai ned when optimal concentrations of PGRs, glutamine, nitrates, and salts of potassium sulphate were combined together. Germination of the embryos (up to 52 %) was acheived only when sulphate sal ts of potassium were removed from the medium.