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Updated: Apr 18, 2026

MRM Microcoil Performance Calibration and Usage Demonstrated on Medicago truncatula Roots at 22 T
Published on: January 16, 2021
Water mobility and microstructure evolution in the germinating Medicago truncatula seed studied by NMR relaxometry. A
Marc Lahaye1, Xavier Falourd, Anis M Limami
1INRA, UR1268 Biopolymers, Interactions and Assemblies, rue de la Géraudière, F-44316 Nantes, France.
Abstract:
The water status of Medicago truncatula Gaertn. seed was followed by low-field NMR relaxometry during germination with and without oryzalin or fusicoccin used as growth modulators. T1 and T2 relaxation times and proportions P1 and P2 were determined on fresh, frozen, and freeze-thawed samples to characterize changes in water dynamics and compartmentation and in the nonfreezing water fraction. The results demonstrate that low-field NMR relaxometry allowed differentiating germination phases and events occurring during them as well as perturbations related to the presence of growth modulators. The results provide clear evidence that the classical multicomponent relaxation interpretation cannot directly relate T2 components and morphological compartments in biological tissue.

