COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION OF CALCIUM OXALATE CRYSTALS RELATED TO STARCH STORAGE IN THREE VARIETIES OF DIOSCOREA ALATA LINN. OF WAYANAD DISTRICT
AbstractYam is one of the staple foods for several people, used as various forms such as flour and starchy paste. It is locally available, a rich source of starch, so tubers of Dioscorea ensure rural food security. The member of the family Dioscoreaceae is found throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. Calcium oxalate crystals and missile like raphides are reported in many Yam species especially D. rotundata. The presence of calcium crystals is related to starch storage. In the present study, calcium oxalate crystals are found in the form of raphides are observed in three varieties of Dioscorea alata (Ginger kachil, Red kachil, and Neendi kachil). Microscopical evaluation of stem is done with the help of Leica M 80 Stereomicroscope. The structure and position of raphides are different in each variety. Three varieties of Dioscorea alata Ginger kachil, Red Kachil, and Neendi kachil, (these terms were used by Pulaya Communities of Wayanad, based on the morphological features of stem tuber) are used for the present study. In D. alata, (Ginger kachil) raphides are only seen in pith along the parenchymatous wall. Rahides are found along the cortex in D. alata (Red kachil) in the form of vertical needle-like structure. In Red Kachil, raphides are not observed in pith. In D. alata Neendi kachil, raphides are found along the cortex as well as pith. Two different types of raphides are observed in this variety, vertical form in pith and clumped form in the cortex. Among the three varieties of Dioscorea alata, the quantity of raphides is more in D. alata var. Neendi kachil.
Article Information
6
678-681
596
901
English
IJP
P. Sruthi * and A. K. Abdussalam
Department of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Botany, Sir Syed College, Taliparamba, Kannur, Kerala, India.
sruthipachen@gmail.com
05 September 2018
29 September 2018
30 September 2018
10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.IJP.5(10).678-81
01 October 2018