MORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMIC STUDY OF SUBTERRANEOUS ORGANS OF YELLOW NUT GRASS (CHUFA) CYPERUS ESCULENTUS L.

Abstract

The aim of the work. Conducting a macro- and microscopic analysis of the subterraneous organs of the yellow nut grass, proposed by the Department of New Cultures of M. Hryshko National Botanic Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Materials and Methods. The micronutrients were made from subterraneous organs of chufa fixed in a mixture of alcohol-glycerine-water (1:1:1) and studied by conventional methods using the microscope Item: PB-2610, and photofixation of the results was made by the Samsung PL50 camera.

Results and Discussion. Vegetative and generative above ground shoots are numerous, monocyclic. Subterraneous organs are a fibrous root system, stolons and long plagyotropic rhizomes. They grow sympathetically and carry reduced squamous leaves, additional roots and tubers, which develop at the final stage of tillering from the blown apical parts of the shoots. One plant unit can have up to 400 tubers. Tubers are round, oval or elongated oval, sometimes curved; with a length of 2.5–3.0 cm and a width of 1.0–3.0 cm. Tubers are covered with yellow-brown, furrow-wrinkled peel. Rhizomes of without bundled structure with a well developed puff parenchyma of the cortex that stores starch, partially destroyed by the central and perimedullary zones, a dense narrow ring of conducting tissues, separated from the cortex by the large cell endoderm. The adventitious roots of rhizomes and tubers are very thin, dark, have a primary structure. The mesoderm of the primary cortex consists of large lobate cells containing starch grains. Exoderm is characterized by heterogeneity; contains cells with dark brown content, single mechanical fibers and cells with essential oils. The endoderma clearly separates the cortex from the central cylinder, the cells of which are large, oval, often among them there are cells with dark secretion. In the axial cylinder of young roots there is a 7–8-arch radial bundle and sclerenchyma in the center. Tubers are covered with a thin layer of periderm, which includes cortical cells and secretory idioblast with brown content. Under the covering tissue there are up to 5–6 layers of elongated lying sclereids, more deeply – several layers of brachysclereids with lignified porous membranes and 2–3 layers of sclereids with cellulose membranes. We identified and confirmed by high-quality micro reactions the accumulation of oily oil, large simple starch and small simple aleuroneic grains. The ring of cambial cells is compact, narrow. The resulting incomplete conductive bundles and separated strains of the vessels and tracheaids are scattered along parenchyma cortex and axial cylinder. 

Conclusions. The morphological and anatomical structure of the subterraneous organs of the yellow nut grass (chufa) is investigated. The main macroscopic and microscopic diagnostic features of rhizomes, roots, tubers, which will be used for the development of quality control methods for new medicinal plant material, were revealed.