Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid- i- Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Department of Botany, Rawalpindi Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Microsc Res Tech. 2022 Sep;85(9):3245-3255. doi: 10.1002/jemt.24181. Epub 2022 Jun 28.
Biodiesel is a sustainable, inexpensive, and alternative energy source produced from vegetable oils and animal fats. Precise and authentic identification of oil yielding plant species is very crucial. Therefore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed in our current investigation to study micromorphological characteristics of ten novel oil yielding seeds for their reliable identification. Macromorphological characters of sample seeds were explored by light microscopy. Seed size varied from 16 to 6.2 mm in length and 18.4-4.5 mm in width. Seed shape varied from ovoid to cordial and color from beige to brown. Seed oil content ranged from 25% to 45% (w/w). Whereas free fatty acid (FFA) content of seed oil varied from 0.42 to 3.4 mg KOH/g. Biodiesel potential of Chamaerops humilis was found to be highest (98%) in all. Besides, ultra-structural observation of seeds demonstrated variation in surface sculpturing which varied from rugous, reticulate, perforate, striate, and webby. Periclinal wall arrangements varied from rough, ridged, depressed, thick and curved whereas, anticlinal walls pattern showed variation from wavy, smooth, raised, deep and depressed. It was ultimately concluded that Scanning electron microscopy could serve as an advanced tool representing hidden ultra-structural characters of seeds. It offers significant knowledge to researchers and local community for their accurate and genuine identification. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Non-edible oil yielding seeds as promising source of bioenergy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as reliable tool for identification. Variation in Micromorphological characters among selected seeds. Classification of non-edible oil yielding plants via micromorphological characters.
生物柴油是一种可持续、廉价且可替代的能源，由植物油和动物脂肪制成。准确鉴定产油植物种类非常关键。因此，在本研究中我们采用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）研究了十种新型产油种子的微观形态特征，以对其进行可靠鉴定。通过光学显微镜研究了样品种子的宏观形态特征。种子大小范围为 16 至 6.2 毫米长，18.4 至 4.5 毫米宽。种子形状从卵形到心形不等，颜色从米色到棕色不等。种子含油率范围为 25%至 45%（w/w）。而种子油中的游离脂肪酸（FFA）含量在 0.42 至 3.4 mg KOH/g 之间变化。在所有种子中，Chamaerops humilis 的生物柴油潜力最高（98%）。此外，种子的超微结构观察表明表面纹饰存在差异，表现为粗糙、网状、穿孔、条纹和网状。平周壁排列从粗糙、脊状、凹陷、厚和弯曲不等，而垂周壁模式则表现出波纹状、光滑、凸起、深和凹陷的变化。最终得出结论，扫描电子显微镜可以作为一种先进的工具，代表种子隐藏的超微结构特征。它为研究人员和当地社区提供了有价值的信息，以实现准确和真实的鉴定。研究亮点：非食用产油种子是生物能源的有前途的来源。扫描电子显微镜（SEM）是鉴定的可靠工具。所选种子之间微观形态特征的差异。通过微观形态特征对非食用产油植物进行分类。
