3D micro–X-ray tomography of lumen space in dried stem, branch, and outer tissues of Moringa oleifera: A structural case study

Abstract

Abstract Moringa oleifera is widely used in dry tropical and subtropical regions due to its rapid growth and high nutritional value, yet its internal tissue organization has primarily been described using two-dimensional anatomical approaches. Here, we present a three-dimensional micro–X-ray computed tomography (micro-XCT) characterization of lumen space in stem, branch, and outer tissues (bark region) from a single M. oleifera individual. Samples were oven-dried prior to imaging; therefore, the quantified void fraction represents apparent lumen/void space in dried material and should not be interpreted as in vivo porosity. Micro-XCT datasets were segmented to quantify cross-sectional lumen area distributions and apparent void fraction from pooled reconstructed slices. All data originate from a single individual; reported metrics represent structural descriptors of pooled cross-sections and not replicated biological measurements. The stem dataset exhibited a dense arrangement of small lumen features and a high number of segmented objects, consistent with a compact woody tissue organization in the scanned region. The branch dataset showed a larger proportion of void space and a strongly right-skewed size distribution with a minority of large lumen features. The outer tissue dataset displayed heterogeneous void space organization, which likely reflects a mixture of cell lumens, intercellular spaces, and drying-related cracks, and therefore is reported descriptively without assigning xylem-vessel identity. This study provides a conservative 3D structural dataset and an image-analysis workflow for quantifying lumen space in dried M. oleifera tissues, complementing published anatomical descriptions. The results highlight strong within-plant heterogeneity across tissue types and underscore the importance of sample preparation and histological validation when interpreting micro-XCT measurements in woody plants.

Plant phenotyping relevance

乾燥植物組織の3D micro-XCT画像から管腔・空隙の構造形質を抽出する画像解析ワークフローとデータセットが研究の中心であり、単なる生物学的測定ではない。

Code and data availability

The preprint describes micro-XCT imaging and ImageJ/Fiji segmentation of Moringa oleifera tissues, but no public phenotype dataset, image stack deposit, or author analysis code/workflow repository is mentioned. The only supplementary file is a graphical abstract image, not the underlying data. No availability statement

No evidence-backed public reproduction asset is currently recorded.