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Project - Endosperm Culture of Coconut as a Method to Convert Sugar into Oil
By John Paily
Back to Biotechnology Home Page This is accidental discovery an off shoot of immense work that went in to clone coconut plants. Every parts of coconut plants were tested out of curiosity. Endosperm that forms commercial and edible part of coconut containing oil was one of them. It was possible to generate callus [undifferentiated mass of cells] from these tissues.
A casual microscopic study revealed that these cells contained oil droplets and opened a possibility of the above project. The endosperm is cell line differentiated for a particular purpose in the plant system. It converts energy of sugar and proteins, into highly concentrated energy source called oil. This stored food is later reused by the growing plant. In coconut the endosperm is known to feed the growing plant for more than one year. In many cases author has noted two year old plants still attached to coconut and the endosperm still feeding the plant. Suggesting that it is highly concentrated source of energy. The following points raised the optimism · The observation that oil formation was restricted to some specific medium of growth. This meant it can be cultured in one medium and transferred to second medium to induce the formation oil. In short the process can be controlled through physico-chemical manipulation · The fact that coconut tissues are highly stable and does not yield readily to dedifferentiation and differentiation, makes the system quite stable for using the already differentiated cellular state as a machine to convert sugar and proteins into high energy oils. The observation led to two step project · To develop optimum physico-chemical factors for fast multiplication of cells · Transfer into second medium where physico-chemical factors influence the conversion of sugar in the medium into oil. There was a question of feasibility, unlike plants that use light energy, the project depends on many raw materials. Yet the author realized a future for such research projects because. · Fossil energy resources are fast depleting forcing humanity look for alternative sources. · In Philippines vehicles were run on coconut oil successfully. Author had successfully uses 1:1, engine and coconut oil as successful replacement for oil in diesel engines. This was reported by many people The project was in the initial stages, when author had to give up his career. Today two decades down the line as I present this project, bio-diesel has become a reality. Humankind has awakened to CO2 accumulation in air. It has been discovered that lubricating capacity of diesel is very much inferior to vegetable oil and is harmful to flora and fauna. The advantage diesel now exists only in flash point or quickness by which it catches fire and fluidity in low temperatures. These obstacles could be over come by little concentrated study into the aspect. The advantage however are many, it is CO2 neutral, compared with the present diesel prices they are cheaper, sulphur free, biodegradable, non hazardous to ground water, flora and fauna. At higher and selfless thought, I would favor the primary producers. This would have positive social implication of strengthening primary level. However, at the administrative level, technologies as supports are a requirement. Within in an over all control an industrial vision is a necessity. Today having visualized the qualitative and quantum, micro and macro energy flow and its interrelationship, I do visualize a situation · Where plants cell can be manipulated to creation of oils that can be superior to diesel in the very property that gives it the advantage. · Or where vegetable oils can be treated or processed to increase its flash point. There is long way to achieve the goal, nothing is impossible to an enquiring mind – Little seed makes a mighty Oak! Back to Biotechnology Home Page
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