Application of Low-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Technology in the Selection and Breeding of Bioenergy and Oilseed Crops

In the breeding and screening of bioenergy and oilseed crops, large-scale oil content analysis is essential to identify high-oil-yield seeds. When testing thousands of samples per day, traditional chemical extraction methods are simply not practical. Niumag’s NMR technology offers a powerful solution to this challenge.

The PQ001 NMR Oil Content Analyzer by Niumag provides a dedicated solution for oilseed crop research institutions with the following advantages:

1. Ultra-micro seed measurement: For small seeds (such as Arabidopsis thaliana), which are critical yet difficult to analyse, the system delivers highly repeatable and consistent results for sample masses below 0.1 g.

2. Single-seed analysis: The instrument can non-destructively and rapidly analyse the oil content of individual seeds — such as corn, peanuts, soybeans — enabling precise trait screening.

3. High-throughput testing: Ideal for seed breeding programs requiring large-scale screening. PQ001 features a user-friendly interface and fast scanning — results are available within seconds. The latest version includes an automatic weighing module that directly inputs sample mass into the software and supports auto-sample ID tagging, significantly reducing operator workload and improving testing efficiency.

For more complex samples such as oil-producing algae or green candlestick stems, advanced NMR pulse sequences and signal processing algorithms can be applied to directly assess oil content — no complicated sample preparation required.

Key techniques supported:

1. Multi-exponential inversion & curve fitting: Calculates oil content by quantifying peak areas corresponding to oil signals on the NMR spectrum.

2. 2D diffusion-based oil-water separation sequence: Accurately distinguishes and quantifies the proportions of oil and water within the sample.