The 2011 ASHS Annual Conference

Moringa oleifera Lam. is a fast growing, drought tolerant tree with numerous beneficial uses, such as for nutritious food, animal forage, green manure, water purification, traditional medicine and bio-fuel (Anwar et al., 2007). The developmental seed morphology and anatomy of Moringa has not been researched, especially with regards to the accumulation of protein, carbohydrates and oil bodies. Five-year old Moringa oleifera trees were divided into three different irrigation treatments namely 300mm, 600mm and 900mm of irrigation over a one year period. Individual flowers were tagged on each tree and monitored to determine the number of days from swelling of flower buds to flowering and fruit set. Pollen viability tests between the various irrigation treatments were also performed. Moringa fruit were then harvested at various developmental stages. Both light- and electron microscopy were used to determine the time of synthesis as well as the locality of the various compounds. After monitoring of the flowers development at the various irrigation treatments, it was evident that irrigation did have an effect on fruit/seed production. Both the light and electron microscopy work revealed the locality of the protein, carbohydrates and oil bodies within various stages of developing seed with the use of various staining techniques. Electron microscopy revealed the intracellular synthesis of these compounds.

REFERENCES

ANWAR, F., LATIF, S., ASHRAF, M. & GILANI, A.H., 2007. Moringa oleifera: A food plant with multiple medicinal uses. Phytother. Res., 21: 17–25.