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Histochemical Localization and Probable Functions of Calcium Oxalate Crystals in Cocoyams

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Histochemical Localization and Probable Functions of Calcium Oxalate Crystals in Cocoyams Vol. 12(25), pp. 3952-3956, 19 June, 2013 DOI: 10.5897/AJB09.1190 African Journal of Biotechnology ISSN 1684-5315 ©2013 Academic Journals http://www.academicjournals.org/AJB Full Length Research Paper Probable functions of calcium oxalate crystals in different tissues of the edible aroids (Xanthosoma and Colocasia spp.) in Nigeria Osuji, Julian O. Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, University of Port Harcourt, P. M. B. 5323, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Accepted 5 June, 2013 Representatives of seven major edible aroid accessions were screened for calcium oxalate using standard histochemical methods. All the accessions were noted to contain calcium oxalate in the forms of raphide bundles and intra-amylar crystals. The crystals were widely present in all parts of the plants including spongy mesophyll of the leaves, laticifers in the midrib and petioles, cortex of the roots and in the starch granules. The crystals occurred in the starch granules as intra-amylar structures and in the vegetative tissues as raphide bundles located in parenchymatous idioblasts. The most remarkable aspect of the histochemistry of this ergastic substance in the edible aroids is the high concentration of the raphide bundles around the root apical meristems. This suggests that the crystals of calcium oxalate serve a protective function in the root of these taxa. Their occurrence in starch granules imply that they are stored products and as such of value to the plants. Key words: Root apical meristem, calcium oxalate crystals, Colocasia, laticifers, mesophyll, raphide bundle, raphide idioblast, Xanthosoma. INTRODUCTION The family Araceae comprises more than one thousand, spadix. In cultivation, they rarely produce flowers hence five hundred species made up mainly of herbaceous or their vegetative features are mostly relied on for routine occasionally climbing shrubs (Duta, 1979). The identification. mesophytic species generally have normal fibrous roots Members of the Araceae family include food crops, but the climbers have two types of aerial roots, which ethnomedicinally invaluable genera and species, include clinging roots that fix the plant to its support and ornamental and other unexploited plants (Etukudo, 2003). hanging roots that grow down to the soil. Generally, they Among the edible genera of this family are Colocasia and have underground stem, which could be in the form of Xanthosoma, which in Nigeria form important food crops sympodial rhizome, corm or erect rootstock. A whose leaves could be eaten as vegetable and corms distinguishing feature of members of this family is the and cormels eaten as sources of staple carbohydrate. In inflorescence, which consists of a spadix subtended by Nigeria, only one species each of Colocasia and large, often brightly coloured spathe. They are usually Xanthosoma exist. These species Colocasia esculenta monoecious with female flowers at the base followed by and Xanthosoma maffaffa have few cultivars each. The neutral flowers and the male flowers at the apex of the cultivars vary in their vegetative features and in the way *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Osuji 3953 they are processed or consumed based on acridity and after passing them through the microtometric method of Johansen taste. (1940) as modified by Osuji and Uzogara (2003). Acridity in plants is believed to be connected with the The specimens already fixed in FAA (1 part formalin, 1 part glacial acetic acid and 18 parts 70% ethanol v/v) were rinsed in occurrence of calcium oxalate. Calcium oxalate is a deionized water and dehydrated through graded ethanol series in secondary metabolite, which has been reported widely in the order 30, 50, 70 and 90% for two hours in each solution and plants (Osuji and Ndukwu, 2005). In the plant tissues finally in absolute ethanol overnight. Dehydrated specimens were where they exist, they can be of several forms, including clarified in 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3 ethanol/chloroform solutions followed by raphides, conglomerate, cystoliths etc. (Okoli, 1988). pure chloroform each for 2 h. The samples were infiltrated in molten wax at 60°C for 7 h. Embedding of the specimens took place in Calcium oxalates have been reported to play various plastic molds. The embedded materials were allowed to set on the roles in plants. Hence, their roles are believed to include bench for at least 10 h. Sectioning with Reichert rotary microtome storage and protection. They are often seen as ergastic took place at 15 to 20 m thickness. substances that have no well defined attributes. The sections were stained with hydrogen peroxide and silver Studies on the occurrence and distribution of ergastic nitrate for 5 min in bright light supplied by 100 W electric bulbs substances and other secondary metabolites have been following the method of Silver and Price (1969) as modified by Osuji et al. (1997). The sections were stuck on slides and rehydrated carried out on several wild and cultivated plants (Buttrose through graded ethanol solution in the reversed order absolute, 90, and Lott, 1978; Okoli and Green, 1987; Tilton, 1978). 70, 50 and 30% ethanol solutions followed by deionized water, Such studies on calcium oxalate have been conducted to each for 5 min. Staining with 10% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 2 evaluate their relevance to germplasm characterization min and silver nitrate (AgNO3) for 4 min in bright light was as well as to elucidate their physiological relevance to conducted. The stained sections were mounted in DPX under No. 1 plants (Osuji and Ndukwu, 2005). Osuji and Ndukwu coverslip. The slides were observed under an OLYMPUS CX31 light microscope. Representative free-hand diagrams of features of (2005) showed that calcium oxalate gets translocated the sections were drawn to scale. from old to young plant parts. This observation implies a Fresh leaves, petioles, corms and root tips of the Xanthosoma storage value of this ergastic substance. Osuji et al. and Colocasia cultivars were obtained and fixed in freshly prepared (1997) showed that crystals of calcium oxalate could play FAA (1 part formalin, 1 part glacial acetic acid and 18 parts 70% a taxonomic role since their quantity, frequency of ethanol v/v) for at least 24 h. The aroid materials were rinsed in occurrence and distribution could distinguish between deionized water before sectioning. About 5 mm length of the root apices was excised and free-hand-sectioned longitudinally and related species and cultivars. To date, there is no such transversely. The sections were lightly stained with 0.1% safranin report on the edible aroid taxa in Nigeria or elsewhere. solution, mounted in glycerine under No. 1 18 x 18 cm coverslips. The frequency of occurrence, quantity and distribution The slides were observed under an OLYMPUS CX31 light of oxalates of calcium are important taxonomic microscope fitted with an OLYMPUS E-330 Digital camera at X4, characters, which have been clearly used to delimit X10 and X20 magnifications. Photographs were taken of informative sections. cultivars as well as characterize plant germplasm (Osuji et al., 1997; Osuji, 2006). The value of this secondary metabolite in the protection of young and delicate plant parts has not been investigated. Their implication as RESULTS AND DISCUSSION stored products or bye products of metabolism and their obvious translocation from older plant parts to younger The leaves of the accessions showed dorsiventral ones have been reported on the genus Musa (Osuji and structure with uniseriate adaxial and abaxial epidermes, Ndukwu, 2005). In the edible aroids of Nigeria, the uni- to biseriate palisade and multiseriate spongy occurrence, distribution and taxonomic or biochemical mesophyll. In the veins and midrib, the vascular tissues implications for use and consumption of the crop has not were lined immediately under both epidermes and received any attention. Hence, the objective of this work subtend the ground tissue within which vascular bundles was to investigate the presence, distribution and diversity and laticifers occurred (Figure 1). In the leaf lamina, most of calcium oxalate crystals in the Nigerian edible aroid, of the raphide bundles occurred within the spongy Colocasia and Xanthosoma germplasm. mesophyll tissue (Figures 1 and 2). The roots showed a tetrarch vasculature with laticifers running along the cortical tissue. Calcium oxalate was present in the leaves, corms, MATERIALS AND METHODS cormels and roots of all the accessions examined. The The plant materials used for this work were obtained from the field oxalate crystals occurred in the form of raphide bundles germplasm of the National Root Crops Research Institute, in all the vegetative tissues but in the form of intra-amylar Umudike, Umuahia. Corms and cormels of Colocasia and crystals in the corms and cormels. The shapes of the Xanthosoma accessions were obtained and cultivated in the intra-amylar crystals varied from solitary to triradiate in all experimental garden section of the Botanic garden of the University the varieties. The bundles varied in size and each of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Another set of the corms contained several solitary raphides, but averagely, the and cormels were allowed to set roots in an aerated humid chamber. Young roots were sectioned longitudinally and bundles in Xanthosoma varieties were thicker than those transversely while young leaves were sectioned only transversely. of Colocasia which were slimmer. Each raphide bundle Transverse sections of the corms and cormels were
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