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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #270332
Title: Chemical composition and cell wall polysaccharide degradability of pith and rind tissues from mature maize internodes

Author
item BARROS-RIOS, JAIME - Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)
item SANTIAGO, ROGELIO - Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)
item MALVAR, ROSA - Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)
item Jung, Hans Joachim

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/5/2011
Publication Date: 9/8/2011
Citation: Barros-Rios, J., Santiago, R., Malvar, R.A., Jung, H.G. 2011. Chemical composition and cell wall polysaccharide degradability of pith and rind tissues from mature maize internodes [abstract]. Botanikertagung 2011, September 18-23, 2011, Berlin, Germany. Abstract #S15. p. 164.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Our study was undertaken to identify tissue-specific biochemical traits that may be targeted in breeding programs for improving forage digestibility. We compared cell wall chemical composition and 24- and 96-h in vitro degradabilities in separated pith and rind tissues from six maize inbred lines. Across genotypes, rind tissues that had higher total cell wall, ferulate ethers, and Klason lignin concentrations were less degradable. Genotypes exhibited genetic variation for most cell wall components and for all measurements of cell wall degradability. Cross-linking of lignin to arabinoxylan through ferulate ethers in conjunction with Klason lignin concentration appeared to be one of the major determinants of cell wall degradability. Glucose and p-coumarate ester concentrations were the best predictors of pith cell wall degradability, and arabinose concentration was a good indicator of rapid rind cell wall degradability, suggesting the potential usefulness of these cell wall traits in breeding programs. However, the majority of rind cell wall degradability variation was not explained. Additional biochemical traits, and probably also anatomical factors, influence cell wall degradation in isolated cell types.