Vol. 11, Special Issue 5 (2022)

Author(s):
T Anitha, S Bindu Madhuri, G Alexander, A Sarat Chandra and M Venkateswarlu

Abstract:
Foldscope is a cheap, portable paper microscope with 140 X magnification and has potential to be used as a simple tool for microscopic identification of feed ingredients on the spot under field conditions if appropriate staining procedures are available. In this context, the present study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of iodine and Coomassie brilliant blue staining for foldscope based identification of cereal grains and oilseed cakes, respectively. Starch rich ground maize, sorghum and rice broken were stained with iodine solution. Protein supplements such as soyabean meal, sunflower cake, groundnut cake, rapeseed meal, decorticated cottonseed cake and un-decorticated cottonseed cake were stained with Coomassie brilliant blue solution. The air dried stained samples were examined under foldscope. The colour of endosperm of maize and sorghum was dark blue while the endosperm of rice was in light violet colour under foldscope. Further, the size of the endosperm of rice was large as compared to maize and sorghum. Foldscope images of protein bodies of oilseed cakes stained with Coomassie brilliant blue appeared greenish blue to dark blue colour. Disturbance in cellular structures was noticed in the foldscope images of most of the oilseed cakes. Iodine staining may be useful for foldscope based identification of cereal grains like maize and sorghum in the mixed feed through recognition of blue colour. Further, rice grain may be differentiated from maize and sorghum grain based on the differences in size and colour of the endosperm in foldscope images. However, Coomassie brilliant blue solution may not be useful for foldscope based identification of oilseed cakes as it disturbed the cellular structures and blue colour formation was not specific in the foldscope images of most of the oilseed cakes.