Cryopreservation of Lily [Lilium ledebourii (Baker) Bioss.] Germplasm by Encapsulation-Dehydration

A cryopreservation process using encapsulation-dehydration was set up for seeds of lily [Lilium ledebourii (Baker) Bioss.]. Seeds were subjected to a rapid freezing protocol in liquid nitrogen following encapsulation in MS medium supplemented with 3% Na-alginate, 100 mM CaCl sub(2) and 0.6 M sucrose and then desiccation for 1 h under the laminar air flow. Survival after freezing was nil for control seeds, 22% for seeds treated with sucrose and dehydration and up to 50% for seeds treated with sucrose, dehydration and encapsulation.