Effect of Solid-to-Solvent Ratio on Efficiency and Shelf Life of the Chromosome Staining Dye Extracted from Fox Grape (Causonis trifolia (L.) Mabb. & J. Wen) Fruits

Abstract

The objective of this research is to extract natural dyes from the fruit of grape, Causonis trifolia (L.) Mabb. & J. Wen, with the aim of replacing the use of expensive acetocarmine. Concentrated acetic acid was used as the solvent at sample-to-solvent ratios of 1:1, 1:3, and 1:5 (g/ml) for a duration of 24 hours. The extracted dyes were subsequently stored at 4 °C for further analysis. Dyes with varying shelf lives of 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days were subjected to tests assessing chromosome staining efficiency and anthocyanin content using the pH differential technique. The research findings indicated that the natural dye extracted at a 1:1 ratio exhibited the best chromosome staining and the highest anthocyanin content, with effectiveness decreasing for the 1:3 and 1:5 ratios, respectively. Notably, the dye extracted at the 1:1 ratio demonstrated chromosome staining capabilities comparable to those of acetocarmine. Furthermore, the quality of the dye was maintained for at least 28 days when stored at 4 °C. Therefore, the 1:1 ratio proved to be the most effective for extracting chromosomal dyes from fox grape fruits, establishing it as a viable substitute for acetocarmine.