DNA extraction from seeds using osmoticum

摘要

The invention broadly relates to methods of fragmenting seed by use of mechanical devices such as crushing pins or other crushing devices with a preconditioned hard seed. Methods of preconditioning the seeds to soften the seed for more effective fragmentation which are adapted to enhance extracted DNA yields and/ or DNA quality are shown. Extracted DNA yield from alkali-soaked seeds can be significantly increased by adding an osmoticum to a seed-softening alkali soaking solution used for pretreatment of the seeds prior to crushing them. The osmoticum inhibits and reduces liquid uptake by the seeds, but the seeds are weakened enough to be crushed with steel beads, without requiring the use of crushing pins or other crushing devices.