An autoradiographic technique for the location of conditioning water in wheat at the cellular level

Abstract

Abstract A technique was devised whereby sections of wheat grains, conditioned with tritiated water, were used to produce an autoradiographic pattern of the distribution of this water. This enabled a more precise location of the conditioning water to be made than could be achieved using halves of labelled wheat grains. Within 1 h the labelled water had penetrated into the aleurone cells, and in many cases, into the starchy endosperm to a depth of 50–60 μm. The embryo and scutellum also absorbed the water with great rapidity. Subsequent penetration into the starchy endosperm was delayed for several hours. No morphological changes were observed that could account for the release of water by the aleurone cells. The cells of the embryo and scutellum appeared to bind the water more strongly than those of the aleurone and after 48 h lying time were still more heavily labelled than the other components of the wheat grain.