Studies on plant cuticle

作者：A. M. SILVA FERNANDES, Edward A. Baker, J. T. Martin · 发表于：Annals of Applied Biology · 年份：1964 · DOI：10.1111/j.1744-7348.1964.tb03779.x · 被引用次数：142 · 研究领域：Plant Surface Properties and Treatments

SUMMARY The isolation from plant tissues of cuticular waxes uncontaminated by cellular extractives is described. Surface waxes are removed by washing leaves and fruits with chloroform at room temperature; other solvents give lower yields of waxes, apparently because of selective solvent action. A method is described for the quantitative fractionation of apple fruit and leaf waxes, and the levels and distribution of the wax components in the fruit and leaf cuticles are reported. Ursolic acid predominates in the apple fruitlet wax; esters and ursolic acid are the chief components of the wax of apple fruits in store. Ursolic acid also occurs in apple leaf wax; paraffins and esters are important constituents of blackcurrant and rose leaf waxes. The esters of apple, blackcurrant and rose leaf waxes contain long‐chain fatty and hydroxy‐fatty acids of the kind known to occur in apple fruit wax esters. Recent literature on plant waxes is reviewed.