Dissertation Title Changes in Properties of Edible Canna (Canna edulis

Ker) Starch during Rhizomal Development and

Characterization of the Canna Starch Blends
Dissertation Credits 48
Candidate Mrs. Santhanee Puncha-arnon
Dissertation Advisors Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dudsadee Uttapap
Dr. Worayudh Pathipanawat
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Vilai Rungsardthong
Program Doctor of Philosophy
Field of Study Biochemical Technology
Division Biochemical Technology
Faculty Bioresources and Technology
B.E 2551

ABSTRACT

In order to gain more knowledge on edible canna (Canna edulis Ker) plant
characteristics, change in properties of canna starches during rhizomal development
and canna starch utilization, edible canna (Vietnam variety) was planted in controlled
experimental plots at the Rayong Field Crops Research Center, Rayong, Thailand, for
12 months under supplemented irrigation. Development of canna plant and rhizomal
branching system were followed up. Canna rhizomes were collected monthly and
used for starch extraction. The effect of harvesting time on properties of canna
starches was studied. In addition, rhizomal segments harvested at 7th month after
transplanting (MAT) were categorized based on stage of development into 4 groups;
mother, immature, premature and mature segment. The starch is isolated from the
segments belonging to these four groups were investigated for their properties.
Finally, to expand the canna starch utilization, the canna starch was blended with
other starches (rice, mungbean, and potato starches) in various ratios and properties of
the starch blends were investigated. These properties were then discussed in relation
to the intrinsic properties of individual starch and the relative granular size.
 Under sufficient water supply, it was observed that the canna plant grew very
quickly during 2nd MAT. (tense ไหน) Canna plant started flowering at 2nd MAT and

withering at 5th MAT. The average number of stems and leaves of matured plant were
8 stems and 70 leaves respectively, with 150-180 cm in height. The edible canna
forms a branching rhizome which orients parallel to the surface of the ground. In
mature plants, the canna rhizome consists of several segments developed
consecutively. At 6th MAT, the canna plant is composed of 57 segments, which
branch up to the 6th generation. The 3rd and 4th generation segments were majority.
Weight of rhizome per plant at 8th MAT was 4000-5000 g/rhizome wwb and
increased to almost double at 12th MAT. The maximum yield of starch at 18-20%
wwb was found in rhizome harvested during 5th-8th MAT.

Microscopic view of mature segment revealed that the cross section area was
separated into two parts, the outer and inner parts, by 1-2 layers of endodermis cells
and a vast difference between two parts could be observed. The outer part (from
epidermis to endodermis) of rhizome segment was approximately 3 mm in thickness.
It consisted of 3-5 layers of epidermis cells, as well as parenchyma, sclerenchyma
(sclereids and fibers) and collenchyma cells. The inner part which functioned as a
storage tissue was a major part of rhizomal segments. It consisted mainly of
parenchyma cells containing very dense starch granules. A lot of vascular bundles
scattered randomly among the parenchyma cells and a distance between the bundles
was in a range of 0.5-1.5 mm. A large number of vascular bundles distributed
throughout the inner core would be responsible for a very active growing of canna
rhizome.

Study on the effects of harvesting times on properties of starches revealed that

obvious changes in morphology (size and shape) of canna starches occurred during
the first 4th MAT, after that (5th-12th MAT) their morphology was quite stable. The
starch extracted at 3rd MAT had much smaller size than the others. It also showed
significant differences in pasting and thermal properties from the other starches. The
starches isolated at 5th-12th MAT exhibited similar morphology, chemical
composition, and physicochemical properties. The results obtained suggested that
starch quality depended strongly on the developmental stage of starch granules. Once
the starch granules are fully developed (reach a mature stage), their property will not
change to any further extent.

Investigation on the properties of starches isolated from segments at different

stages of development indicated that size of starch granules increased with
progressive development of segments from immature to premature and mature stages.
Starch from the mother segment contained a higher proportion of small-size granules
than that from other segments, and unusual features were observed on the surface of
some granules. Starches from different segments showed similar crystalline
structures, and thermal and pasting properties; however, some chemical compositions
of starch from the mother segment were different from others.

Canna, potato, mung bean and rice starches having mean granule size of 52,
48, 24 and 7 μm and gelatinization temperature of 72.4, 65.8, 70.1 and 75.2 °C,
respectively, were used for evaluating the effects of relative granule size and
gelatinization temperature on pasting and gelation behaviors of starch blends. The
results from DSC and RVA analyses suggested that gelatinization behavior of starch
blend could be either additive or non-additive, and relative granule size rather than
gelatinization temperature of the starch components may be responsible for this
behavior. Gelation behavior of starch blends evaluated by setback value during
cooling down in RVA, and hardness value by texture analyzer, indicated the inexact
additive type for canna-potato starch blend and non-additive type for canna-mung
bean and canna-rice starch blends. The deviations from additive type were stronger
with greater differences in granule size. Therefore, the relative granule size was also
supposed to affect the gelation behavior of the starch blends.

Keywords: Edible Canna / Starch / Morphology / Physicochemical Properties /

Development of Rhizome / Harvesting Time / Starch Blend