title: In search of a maize ideotype for cell wall enzymatic degradability using histological and biochemical lignin characterization.
abstract: Grass cell wall degradability is conventionally related to the lignin content and to the ferulic-mediated cross-linking of lignins to polysaccharides. To better understand the variations in degradability, 22 maize inbred lines were subjected to image analyses of Fasga- and Mäule-stained stem sections and to chemical analyses of lignins and p-hydroxycinnamic acids. For the first time, the nearness of biochemical and histological estimates of lignin levels was established. Combination of histological and biochemical traits could explain 89% of the variations for cell wall degradability and define a maize ideotype for cell wall degradability. In addition to a reduced lignin level, such an ideotype would contain lignins richer in syringyl than in guaiacyl units and preferentially localized in the cortical region rather than in the pith. Such enrichment in syringyl units would favor wall degradability in grasses, contrary to dicots, and could be related to the fact that grass syringyl units are noticeably p-coumaroylated. This might affect the interaction capabilities of lignins and polysaccharides.
authors: Unité de Chimie Biologique UMR 206, INRA/INA-PG, Institut National Agronomique, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France. mechin@grignon.inra.fr
authors: Valérie
authors: V
authors: Méchin
authors: Odile
authors: O
authors: Argillier
authors: Françoise
authors: F
authors: Rocher
authors: Yannick
authors: Y
authors: Hébert
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Mila
authors: Brigitte
authors: B
authors: Pollet
authors: Yves
authors: Y
authors: Barriére
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Lapierre
mesh_terms: D001947:Breeding; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008031:Lignin / Q000032:analysis*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D008031:Lignin