Partial characterization of the physical, chemical, and morphological properties of the seed of Pouteria campechiana (Sapotaceae)

Introduction - Pouteria campechiana (Kunth) Baehni, which grows in tropical and subtropical climates and cultivated since ancient times, is a multipurpose tree: its wood is employed in construction, its seeds and leaves are used in traditional medicine, and its fruit can be consumed either fresh or in various processed forms. Concerning information says that its seed would be useful for micropropagation, ex vitro cultivation, technology design for seed processing, and the development of new nutritional uses. Objective - The objective of this study was to characterize some chemical, physical, and morphological aspects of P. campechiana seeds. Materials and methods - Their chemical composition was analyzed with official methods, their physical characteristics with engineering techniques, and their morphology with microscopy and image analysis techniques. Results and discussion - The average lipid content was 1.3%, with 39.3% total carbohydrates and 15.1% protein. The seed is an ellipsoid, with a true density of 464 kg m-³, porosity of 52%, unit volume of 0.015 mm³, and a surface area of 492.80 mm². The embryo is located at the opposite end of the seed as the micropyle, an observation important to the positioning of the seed in planting. Four layers of tissues were observed: epidermis, cotyledons, endosperm cells, and embryo cells. Conclusion - The results of this study provide integrated information for the propagation of the Sapotaceae family, process engineering, and an understanding of the relationship between the properties and structure of the seeds of P. campechiana.