Increase of Caffeine in Plucked Tea Shoots

Abstract

The caffeine content of plucked tea shoots increased 20-50% after 48 hr incubation at 25°C. Theobromine, thought the precursor of caffeine, increased in the initial stage of incubation, then decreased rapidly. The maximum increase in caffeine resulted when the plucked shoots were incubated at 25°C. In shoots thawed after freezing at -25°C for 2 hr, the caffeine content did not increase during incubation at 25°C. RNA, 2', 3'-AMP, 2', 3'-GMP, theobromine and theophylline did not enhance the biosynthesis of caffeine in plucked tea shoots.