Proton magnetic resonance imaging of lipid in pecan embryos

Magnetic resonance images of plant tissues typically are manifestations of water protons in tissues. Within oilseeds, however, lipids contain a major portion of the mobile protons, which should enable specific imaging of lipids. In this study, experiments were done to demonstrate spin‐echo imaging (SEI) and chemical‐shift imaging (CSI) of lipid within nonimbibed and imbibed embryos of pecan (Carya illinoensis), a high‐lipid seed. Magnetic resonance spectra of airdry embryos contained a single major peak for lipid, whereas those of imbibed embryos contained separate peaks for water and lipid. This separation of spectral peaks enabled CSI of distributions of either lipids or water in imbibed embryos. A longer spin‐spin relaxation time of lipid protons than of water protons in imbibed embryos allowed selective SEI of lipids in those embryos. SEI of normal, dry embryos revealed fairly uniform distribution of lipids across tissues. Similar images of embryos damaged by the fungusPhoma exocarpina or the insectZerara viridula were less intense than those of a normal embryo, reflecting the lower oil contents of the damaged embryos. Magnetic resonance imaging should provide a useful technology for studying lipid distribution and metabolism within oil seeds.