Cereal Chem 56:379 - 385.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
The Relationship of Microstructure of Cowpeas to Water Absorption and Dehulling Properties.

S. Sefa-Dedeh and D. W. Stanley. Copyright 1979 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Water absorption and dehulling characteristics are important to better utilization of legumes. Both these properties appear to be related to certain structural characteristics of legume seeds; thus, eight varieties of Ghanaian cowpeas were examined by scanning electron microscopy and the results compared to water absorption and dehulling properties. The seeds possess a highly organized cellular structure and all the varieties were characterized by similar shaped parenchyma cells (60-100 micrometers) containing starch granules (8-27 micrometers) and protein bodies (2-6 micrometers). Differences in the seed coats, which contain external palisade cells, accounted for the hydration and dehulling properties. Varieties with comparatively thick, smooth seed coats dehulled more satisfactorily when dry but generally had a slow initial rate of water absorption, whereas thin seed coat varieties observed included micropyle size and shape and hilum size.