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Estimation of Epicuticular Wax Amounts in Wheat Using Wide-Line Proton Magnetic Resonance¹

Epicuticular wax is an important component of the plant cuticle and contributes to functions such as conservation of water, minimization of leaching losses, and protection from injury due to various environmental factors. Because the gravimetric and colorimetric procedures in some cases may be limited in their use in plant selection programs or studies concerning the significance of epicuticular wax, wide-line proton magnetic resonance (PMR) was investigated as an alternative technique for the determination of amount of epicuticular wax. Epicuticular wax from field-grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and T. turgidum L. durum) was extracted and then dissolved in carbon tetrachloride for reading by PMR. Carbon tetrachloride was used as the solvent because it does not itself give a PMR signal. Amounts of epicuticular wax determined by the PMR method were highly correlated (r² = 0.99) with those assayed by the gravimetric procedure over a wide range of wax contents (0.001 to 0.178 g). Close correlations (r² = 0.99) between PMR reading and amount of wax were also found with beeswax and Carbowax-4000, suggesting that the technique is applicable to waxes other than wheat wax. The PMR method is an alternative technique for the rapid, accurate estimation of wheat wax amounts and is applicable in plant selection programs.

Key Words: Triticum turgidum L. var. durum • Triticum aestivum L. • Drought resistance • Plant selection

² Plant physiologist, USDA-ARS, Crops Res. Lab., Utah State Univ., UMC 63, Logan, UT 84322; chemist and senior research scientist, Div. of Plant Industry, CSIRO, P.O. Box 1600, Canberra City, A.C.T., 2601, Australia.

Received for publication September 16, 1983.