TISSUE CULTURE OF COFFEA ARABICA

Abstract

Growth and caffeine production of callus cultures derived from stem segments of the coffee plant (Coffea arabica) were studied. Primary as well as subcultures grow – in terms of dry weight – exponentially with a duplication time of 12 to 13 days. The formation of caffeine is parallel with the increase of callus dry weight, reflecting a fairly constant production per unit dry weight. The theoretical percentage of caffeine in the cultures amounts to 1.0–1.6 %. When the tissue caffeine concentration exceeds the limit of 900–1000 μg/ml tissue, both callus growth and caffeine formation are inhibited to the same extent. It is suggested that caffeine synthesis is closely connected with the growth processes.