Glutamine as an active component of casein hydrolysate: Its balancing effect on plant cells cultured in phosphorus deficient medium.

The growth improvement of aCardamine pratensis cell suspension can be obtained by the addition of casein hydrolysate to the medium. This component can be replaced by the same concentration of glutamine. Moreover on two cell suspensions,C. pratensis andSilene alba, this glutamine effect appears only when the medium has a phosphorus deficiency. Consequently, casein hydrolysate effectiveness would be due to its high concentration of glutamine and its contribution would balance the shortage of this amino acid synthesis when the medium has a phosphorus deficiency.