ISHS Acta Horticulturae 415: VIII International Asparagus Symposium
NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF STEM VASCULAR TISSUE IN ASPARAGUS |
| Authors: | J.M. Halloin, T.G. Cooper, D.E. Marshall, G.A. deZoeten, A. Shirazi |
| Abstract:
Development of fibrous stem vascular tissue presents a major problem in marketing of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.). Non-destructive means for assessing this development are needed. We investigated the use of spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging as a tool to non-destructively image vascular tissue and to evaluate fiber content in asparagus stems, and compared this method with more conventional analysis of fiber content by shear press. Spin-lattice (T1) and spin-spin (T2) proton relaxation times were not consistently distinguishable between tender and highly fibrous stems, although moisture contents were consistently higher in the tender stems. Stem vascular bundles were distinguishable from surrounding tissues, apparently due to free water within them, but differentiation between | |
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