  2001 AACC Annual Meeting Charlotte, North Carolina October 14-18, 2001 Charlotte Convention Center  |
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Single kernel sampling method for maize starch analysis while maintaining kernel vitality. Y. YAO (1), M. J. Guiltinan (2), and D. B. Thompson (1). (1) The Pennsylvania State University, Dept. of Food Science, University Park, PA 16802; (2) The Pennsylvania State University, Dept. of Horticulture, University Park, PA 16802.
A non-destructive protocol for maize kernel starch sampling was developed, enabling single seed analysis of starch properties, and also maintaining the vitality of the seed. To develop the single kernel sampling (SKS) method, maize genotypes varying in starch structure including ae, wx, su2, du and wild type in the W64A inbred line were used. Crude kernel material (10 mg) was removed from the crown, soaked, ground, washed and dissolved in 90% DMSO. Starch was also isolated from the same genotypes by a standard laboratory method. Debranched starches from the two methods were analyzed by HPSEC and FACE (fluorophore-aided carbohydrate electrophoresis). Both HPSEC and FACE showed similar results for the two sampling methods except that a small peak (about 3% of whole peak area) was observed in the void volume for HPSEC. We concluded that the material isolated by SKS was representative of the whole kernel starch obtained by the standard laboratory method. 25 sampled and 25 intact kernels were planted for each genotype, and all showed high germination rates. The SKS method may be useful for large-scale screening of populations of maize kernels for genotypes producing novel starch structure, and for allowing the recovery of interesting novel genotypes for further analysis.
Copyright 2001
The American Association of Cereal Chemists