HISTOCHEMICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL STUDY OF LIPIDS AND PROTEINS IN PISTACHIO ENDOSPERM USING LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPES

Pistachio seed is a nutrient grain because lipid and protein storages are accumulated in it.
Up to now, many significant researches about kinds of lipids and proteins of pistachio endosperm have been carried out.
In this study using histochemical techniques such as Sudan black, Sudan III, and Nil blue, the lipid grains were studied by light microscope.
In addition, proteins of pistachio seed were stained by Amydo-black and Toluidine blue.
Electron microscopic studies of lipid and aleuron grains using classic fixators and common staining were fulfilled.
Our results indicate that the most important organelles of pistachio’s seed endosperm are nucleus, mitochondria, aleuron grains, and glyoxysomes.
In this research size, shape, and number of these organelles were studied.
Our biochemical studies showed that dry grains consist of 50% lipids, about 7-8% soluble sugars, and about 8-10% protein.
The result of the investigation in dry and one-day hydrated seeds determined endosperm structure in morphological and biochemical level.

IV International Symposium on Pistachios and Almonds

B.SH. Behboodi

Pistacia vera, cytochemistry, aleuron grains, lipid grains, glyoxysomes.

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2006.726.93