Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Microsc Res Tech. 2022 Mar;85(3):900-916. doi: 10.1002/jemt.23959. Epub 2021 Oct 19.
Investigation of alternative energy sources is need of current time due to growing power crisis and associated environmental issues. Biodiesel is considered as sustainable power source and promising alternative to fossil fuels. Therefore, our current investigation aimed to identify micromorphological characters of 10 novel nonedible oil-yielding seeds through scanning electron microscopy. It was revealed from light microscopic study that there is variation in seed size from 3 to 15 mm in length and 2 to 11 mm in width. Likewise, a huge variation in color was observed such as light green, greenish yellow, blackish brown, and various shades of brown. Presence and absence of Hilum was observed, and compression of seeds varied from depressed, lateral, and dorsoventral. Seed's shape differs from ovate, clavate, triangular ovate, cuneiform, ovoid, and elliptical shape. Seed oil content fall in range of 18-58% (wt/wt). Free fatty acid content of the seeds varies from 0.3 to 3.1 mg KOH/g. Ultrastructure of seeds exhibited huge variation in shape, size, periclinal wall, anticlinal wall, and surface ornamentation. Nonedible seeds varied in wall structure from angular, wavy, dentate entire, irregular, puzzled, elongated, even, and polygonal. The periclinal wall arrangements show alteration from flat, looped, raised, depressed, lofty, even, pentagonal, polygonal, and undulate seed margins. Outcomes of this investigation recommended that scanning electron microscopy could act as a helpful tool in disclosing the hidden micromorphological characters among nonedible oil-yielding seeds and subsequently helping in correct, authentic seed identification and classification as potential feedstock for biodiesel.
由于能源危机的日益严重和相关环境问题，对替代能源的研究是当前的需要。生物柴油被认为是一种可持续的能源，是化石燃料的有前途的替代品。因此，我们目前的研究旨在通过扫描电子显微镜鉴定 10 种新型非食用产油种子的微观形态特征。通过光学显微镜研究发现，种子的长度从 3 到 15 毫米不等，宽度从 2 到 11 毫米不等。同样，观察到颜色有很大的变化，如浅绿色、黄绿色、棕黑色和各种棕色色调。观察到种脐的存在和缺失，种子的压缩程度从凹陷、侧向和背腹向不等。种子的形状有卵形、棒状、三角形卵形、楔形、卵形和椭圆形。种子油含量在 18-58%（wt/wt）之间。种子的游离脂肪酸含量在 0.3 到 3.1 mg KOH/g 之间。种子的超微结构在形状、大小、周壁、垂周壁和表面纹饰方面表现出巨大的差异。非食用种子的细胞壁结构从角状、波状、全齿状、不规则状、困惑状、伸长状、均匀状和多边形状等方面存在差异。周壁排列从扁平、环、凸起、凹陷、高耸、均匀、五边形、多边形和波浪状种子边缘等方面发生变化。这项研究的结果表明，扫描电子显微镜可以作为一种有用的工具，揭示非食用产油种子中隐藏的微观形态特征，并有助于正确、真实的种子鉴定和分类，作为生物柴油的潜在原料。
