Premium
Determination of the components of plant cuticles
Author(s) -
Martin J. T.
Publication year - 1960
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740111107
Subject(s) - cutin , wax , saponification , chromatography , chemistry , plant cuticle , extraction (chemistry) , ammonium oxalate , membrane , heptane , botany , organic chemistry , biochemistry , biology
Quantitative methods are described for the determination of waxy substances and cutin in plant cuticles. Surface waxy materials are obtained by immersing leaves or fruits in chloroform at room temperature; waxy substances embedded within the cuticles of fruits are recovered by further extraction of the skin after surface washing. Acidic materials are removed from the extract, and true wax and “oil” fractions are obtained by partition between n‐heptane and methanol. The cuticular membranes are then separated by treatment with ammonium oxalate‐oxalic acid solution, and the cutin in the membranes is determined by saponification. Work by other investigators on the nature and determination of components of plant cuticles is reviewed.