Plant seed oil content determination: methods and progress

• 1、Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization of Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193
• 2、Institute of Cash Crops, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064

Abstract：As one of index for evaluation of seed quality in plants, seed oil content has been becoming the important trait for genetic improvement of oil crops. Seed oil content was measured mainly in three ways: Soxhlet extraction, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and near-infrared spectroscopy. These methods have their advantages as well as application principles. The classic method, Soxhlet extraction method, has high accuracy in determine oil content. But its operation is cumbersome and time consuming, and accompanied with the shortcoming of the destruction of grain. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis method (NMR) and near infrared spectral analysis method (NIRS) are simple and fast, with safe, non-toxic and does not destroy the grain when oil content were determined, and the measurement based on the standard curve using the results of the Soxhlet extraction method. Normally the appropriate method should be selected based on different demands in oil content determination.

Keywords： plant seeds oil content Soxhlet extraction method nuclear magnetic resonance method near infrared spectroscopy method