Wang, Q.C., Department of Virology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Batuman, Ö., Department of Virology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Li, P., Department of Virology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Bar-Joseph, M., Department of Virology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Gafny, R., Department of Virology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel

In vitro-grown shoot tips excised from preconditioned stock shoots of 'Troyer' citrange were successfully cryopreserved by encapsulation-dehydration. Optimal survival of cryopreserved shoot tips was achieved when encapsulated shoot tips were dehydrated to 17.1% water content. The sucrose concentration in the preconditioning medium significantly influenced the growth and dry matter percentage of the stock shoots as well as subsequent survival of the cryopreserved shoot tips. Maximal growth of stock shoots was obtained in sucrose concentrations in the range of 0.15 M to 0.29 M, while the dry matter percentage increased as sucrose concentration increased up to 0.44 M. The survival of cryopreserved shoot tips increased from 40% to approximately 80% as the sucrose concentration for stock shoots increased from 0.09 M to 0.22 M or 0.29 M. The benzyladenine concentration in the post-culture medium significantly affected the survival and regrowth of the cryopreserved shoot tips. Survival of the shoot tips was lowest when they were post-cultured on benzyladenine-free medium. However, high benzyladenine concentrations (3-4 μM) induced callus formation. Optimal recovery was obtained in post-culture medium containing 2 μM benzyladenine and 0.05 μM α-naphthalene acetic acid. The extraction of shoot tips from alginate beads greatly improved the regrowth of cryopreserved shoot tips.