Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.), also known as Inca peanut or Inca inchi, is a perennial, climbing, woody, oleaginous plant of the Euphorbiaceae family, native to the rain forest of South America. Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) made the introduction and cultivation of Plukenetia volubilis Linneo in Xishaungbanna a success in 2008 and has promoted large-scale plantation in Xishuangbanna. Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) seeds are rich in oil that contains a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. For evaluation of germplasm and breeding of high yielding varieties of Sacha inchi with high oil content, a rapid and nondestructive method for determination of oil content in seeds is critical.

Prof. ZU Zengfu’s team of XTBG employed time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) to determine oil content in Sacha inchi seeds at different developmental stages, in comparison with the conventional Soxhlet extraction method, which is laborious.

Their study results demonstrated that TD-NMR was applicable to determine oil content in Sacha inchi seeds at different developmental stages. Compared with the standard Soxhlet extraction, TD-NMR analysis could achieve higher accuracy and efficiency. In addition, TD-NMR was a nondestructive method for oil determination of Sacha inchi seeds.

The study entitled “Determination of oil contents in Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) seeds at different developmental stages by two methods: Soxhlet extraction and time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance” has been published online in Industrial Crops and Products.

Developmental changes in morphology, size and weight of Sacha inchi fruits and seeds. (A)–(D) Fruit (left) and intact seed (middle) and longitudinal section of seed (right) at 15 (A), 40 (B), 115 (C) and 145 (D) days after pollination (DAP). Bars = 1 cm. (E) Changes in size of the developing fruits and seeds. (F) Changes in weight of the developing seeds. (E) and (F) Values are means ± standard deviations. At each time point, three replicate samples, each with 5 fruits or seeds, were tested. DAP, days after pollination.