Food Structure
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Abstract
Microstructures of seven plant introductions of winged beans (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) produced in Okinawa, Japan were investigated. In cotyledonary cells of winged beans, protein bodies plus numerous lipid bodies were distributed in a cytoplasmic network. Starch granules were often found in some introductions but rarely in others. All seven introductions had very thick cell walls. The high protein, fat and hemicellulose contents of winged beans are consistent with the numerous protein bodies, lipid bodies and thick cell walls in the mature cotyledonary cells. The cell walls contained a number of depressions or cavities 1 to 2 lJ m deep which frequently occurred opposite complementary pits in adjacent cells (presumably pit-pairs). Plasmodesmata traverse the cell walls in the pit-pairs. In order to determine changes during development, cultivar UPS-32 cultivated at Fukuoka-city was used. In coty ledonary cells at 30 days after flowering, cell walls which had pitpairs with plasmodesmata, developing amyloplasts with starch granules, vacuoles with dense flocculent materials, tubular rough endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria etc., were observed but no protein bodies or lipid bodies were apparent. Protein bodies and lipid bodies were, however, found at 45 days after flowering. Cotyledonary cells at 45 days contained many starch granules but mature seeds contained few, if any.
Recommended Citation
Saio, K.; Nakano, Y.; and Uemoto, S.
(1983)
"Microstructure of Winged Beans,"
Food Structure: Vol. 2:
No.
2, Article 8.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/foodmicrostructure/vol2/iss2/8