• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.63 no.2
• /
• pp.131-139
• /
• 2018

Unsaponifiables in the kernel and the cob of 7 maize varieties were analyzed by using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography (GC) for the identification of phytosterols and their concentrations. The unsaponifiables of the kernel were clearly separated into band I (campesterol, stigmasterol, and ${\beta}$-sitosterol), band II (${\Delta}^5$-avenasterol), band III (${\Delta}^7$- stigmastenol), and band IV (${\Delta}^7$-avenasterol). In the cob, on the other hand, three or more bands were separated in addition to bands. The GC analysis of unsaponifiables showed good separation of campesterol, stigmasterol and ${\beta}$-sitosterol, but the mixture of ${\Delta}^7$-avenasterol (retention time[RT] 22.846), ${\Delta}^7$-stigmastenol (RT 22.852), and ${\Delta}^5$-avenasterol (RT 22.862) showed poor separation. Phytosterol content of the maize kernel was 635.9 mg/100 g, and that of the cob was 273.0 mg/100 g, respectively. The phytosterol content of the kernel was 2.4-fold higher than that of the cob. The phytosterol content of the kernel was higher in the order ${\beta}$sitosterol 80.05% > campesterol 10.5% > stigmasterol 9.46%, but that of the cob was higher in the order ${\beta}$-sitosterol 59.43% > stigmasterol 31.72% > campesterol 10.98%. Based on these results, it appears that the phytosterols of the maize kernel are synthesized in the maize cob and are transferred to the kernel, because the precursors (${\Delta}^7$-avenasterol, ${\Delta}^7$-stigmastenol, and ${\Delta}^5$-avenasterol) of major phytosterols were detected in maize cobs.