The tiller inhibition gene (tin) that reduces tillering in wheat (Triticum aestivum) is also associated with large spikes, increased grain weight, and thick leaves and stems. In this study, comparison of near-isogenic lines (NILs) revealed changes in stem morphology, cell wall composition, and stem strength. Microscopic analysis of stem cross-sections and chemical analysis of stem tissue indica...

Lignin is incorporated into plant cell walls to maintain plant architecture and to ensure long-distance water transport. Lignin composition affects the industrial value of plant material for forage, wood and paper production, and biofuel technologies. Industrial demands have resulted in an increase in the use of genetic engineering to modify lignified plant cell wall composition. However, the i...

Abstract Key message An exceptionally high number of blue rings were formed within and between Scots pine trees from Estonia in 1976: a year that is well known for its outstanding summer heatwave over Western Europe, but extreme autumnal cooling Eastern Europe has so far been neglected scientific literature. ‘Blue rings’ (BRs) are visual indicators less lignified cell walls typically towards th...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cables composed of long, non-lignified fibre cells enclosed in a cover of much shorter thin-walled, crystal-containing cells traverse the air chambers (lacunae) in leaves of the taller species of Typha. The non-lignified fibre cables are anchored in diaphragms composed of stellate cells of aerenchyma tissue that segment the long air chambers into smaller compartments. Althou...

In this article we highlight the contribution of molecular biology and lignin genetic engineering toward a better understanding of lignin biosynthesis and spatio-temporal deposition of lignin. Specific examples from the literature and from our laboratory will serve to underline the chemical flexibility of lignins, the complexity of the regulatory circuits involved in their synthesis, and the sp...

Alfalfa stems were shredded using a rotary macerator, were ammoniated, or were left untreated (control). Shredding increased extent of NDF digestion over ammoniat ion and control at all times from 12 to 72 h of in vitro incubation. Shredding also increased rate of disappearance of potential ly digestible NDF (.032 h 1 for control, .045 h 1 for ammoniated, and .089 h -1 for shredded). Ammoniat i...

Arbutus unedo is a Mediterranean shrub or tree that produces edible fruits with promising applications for the food industry and nutraceutical applications. A deep understanding of cell wall structure modifications its components during fruit softening would benefit development new products retail fresh fruits. Aiming to enhance valorization A. fruits, was characterized, first time, ripening. I...

Auxin plays a pivotal role in various plant growth and development processes, including vascular differentiation. The modulation of auxin responsiveness through the auxin perception and signaling machinery is believed to be a major regulatory mechanism controlling cambium activity and wood formation. To gain more insights into the roles of key Aux/IAA gene regulators of the auxin response in th...

Lignin, a major component of secondary cell walls, hinders the optimal processing of wood for industrial uses. The recent availability of the Eucalyptus grandis genome sequence allows comprehensive analysis of the genes encoding the 11 protein families specific to the lignin branch of the phenylpropanoid pathway and identification of those mainly involved in xylem developmental lignification. W...