Lignin is a polymer of phenylpropanoid compounds formed through a complex biosynthesis route, represented by a metabolic grid for which most of the genes involved have been sequenced in several plants, mainly in the model-plants Arabidopsis thaliana and Populus. Plants are exposed to different stresses, which may change lignin content and composition. In many cases, particularly for plant-microbe interactions, this has been suggested as defence responses of plants to the stress. Thus, understanding how a stressor modulates expression of the genes related with lignin biosynthesis may allow us to develop study-models to increase our knowledge on the metabolic control of lignin deposition in the cell wall. This review focuses on recent literature reporting on the main types of abiotic and biotic stresses that alter the biosynthesis of lignin in plants.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1744-7909.2010.00892.x

Abiotic and Biotic Stresses and Changes in the Lignin Content and Composition in Plants

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy: Applications to Chemical Systems Vol 1 Edited by J R Ferraro and L J Basile Pp 311 (Academic: New York, San Francisco and London, 1978) $25; £1625

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Lignification and lignin topochemistry - an ultrastructural view.

Do furanic and phenolic compounds of lignocellulosic and algae biomass hydrolyzate inhibit anaerobic mixed cultures? A comprehensive review.

Production of energy from lignocellulosic biomass or residues is receiving ever-increasing interest. Among the different processes, dark fermentation for producing biohydrogen and anaerobic digestion for producing biomethane present considerable advantages. However, they are limited by the accessibility of holocelluloses that are embedded in the lignin network. The authors propose a review of works on the conversion of biomass into biohydrogen and biomethane with the comprehensive description of (a) biomass composition and features that may impact on its anaerobic conversion and (b) the impact of different kinds of pretreatment on these features and on the performance of biohydrogen and methane production.

Lignocellulosic Materials Into Biohydrogen and Biomethane: Impact of Structural Features and Pretreatment

Relationships between cell and pulp properties were investigated by examining the within-tree property variations in Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Eucalyptus globulus. Properties investigated included proportions of ray and axial parenchyma, thickness of cell walls and cell wall percentages. The characteristics of the ray and axial parenchyma (their proportions and wall thickness) were found to have a significant influence on all measured pulp properties, including paper strength properties. Multiple regression of pulp properties in relation to cell properties revealed that nearly all measured pulp properties were explained by cell properties at the 1% significance level. It was concluded, therefore, that all cell types are important for predicting pulp properties, and it is strongly recommended that tree breeding programs for Eucalyptus include the measurement of all cell types.

Investigation of relationships between cell and pulp properties in Eucalyptus by examination of within-tree property variations

Shoot organogenesis and plant establishment has been achieved for Phellodendron amurense Rupr. from excised leaf explants. Young leaf explants were collected from in vitro established shoot cultures and used for the induction of direct shoot regeneration, callus and subsequent differentiation into shoots on MS medium. Direct shoot regeneration was achieved by culturing 1 cm2 sections of about 10-day-old leaves on MS medium enriched with 4.4 μM BAP and 1.0 μM NAA after 4 weeks of culture. The leaf explants produced callus from their cut margins within 3 weeks of incubation on medium supplemented with 2.0 μM TDZ and 4.0 μM 2,4-D or 4.0 μM NAA. The maximum number of adventitious shoots was regenerated from the leaf-derived callus within 4 weeks of culture on MS medium containing 1.5 μM BAP and 1.0 μM NAA. The highest rate of shoot multiplication was achieved at the third subculture, and more than 65 shoots were produced per callus clump. For rooting, the in vitro proliferated and elongated shoots were excised into 2–4 cm long microcuttings, which were planted individually on a root-induction MS medium containing 2.0 μM IBA. Within 3 weeks of transfer to the rooting medium, all the cultured microcuttings produced 2–6 roots. The in vitro regenerated plantlets were transferred to Kanuma soil, and the survival rate ex vitro was 90%.

In vitro regeneration of the medicinal woody plant Phellodendron amurense Rupr. through excised leaves

Anatomical features of reaction wood formed in two Magnolia species, M. obovata Thunb. and M. kobus DC. which are considered to be among the primitive angiosperms, were observed. In addition, the distribution of guaiacyl and syringyl units of lignins in the cell walls of normal and reaction wood was examined using ultraviolet (UV)- and visible light (VL)- microspectrophotometry coupled with the Wiesner and Maule reactions. The two Magnolia species formed a tension-like reaction wood without possessing the typical gelatinous layer (G-layer) on the upper side of the inclined stem or branch, in which a radial growth promotion occurred. Compared with the normal wood, the reaction wood had the following anatomical features: (1) the secondary walls of fiber tracheids lacked the S3 layer, (2) the innermost layer of fiber-tracheid walls showed a small microfibril angle, a fact being similar to the orientation of the microfibril angle of the G-layer in tension wood, and (3) the amounts of lignin decreased in the cell walls of fiber tracheids, especially with great decrease in proportion of guaiacyl units in lignins. In addition, VL-microspectrophotometry coupled with the Wiesner and Maule reactions adopted in the present study showed potential to estimate the lignin contents in the cell walls and the proportion of guaiacyl and syringyl units in lignins.

Anatomy and lignin distribution of reaction wood in two Magnolia species

The objective of this study was to obtain basic knowledge for the prediction of the mechanical properties
 of Japanese larch lumber (Larix kaempferi) on the basis of tree properties,
 such as the stress-wave velocity (SWV) and Pilodyn penetration value (Py). The values of the correlation
 coefficient between the SWV of a standing tree and the dynamic Young’s modulus (DMOE) of logs, which
 were obtained at various heights, gradually decreased with an increase in the log sampling height, indicating
 that the SWV of a tree is affected by wood properties at the measuring position. A significant
 correlation between the SWV of trees and the average modulus of elasticity (MOE) of lumber was found (r
 =0.834). A significant negative correlation between the Py of a tree and the average modulus
 of rupture (MOR) of lumber was also found (r=-0.859). A high coefficient of determination for
 an obtained regression curve was found when both the SWV and Py of a tree were used for evaluating
 the average MOE or MOR of lumber. These results indicate that the average MOE and MOR of lumber can
 be predicted by using the SWV and Py of the Japanese larch tree.

Prediction of the mechanical properties of lumber by stress-wave velocity and Pilodyn penetration of 36-year-old Japanese larch trees

In many tree breeding programs, plus trees have been selected according to growth rate or stern form in trees. Trees that have a high growth rate or good stern form do not always produce industrially desirable wood. Therefore criteria for wood quality should be considered in tree breeding programs. The objective of this study is to obtain the basic knowledge for breeding for wood quality in Paraserianthes falcataria, an important commercial tree species of Indonesia. Variation in the growth, log properties, basic density, and fiber length in 13-year-old P. falcataria was investigated. Even though all trees were the same age, diameter at breast height showed high variation, indicating a significant variance in the growth rate of seedlings. Significant differences in the log properties (green density, dynamic Young's modulus, and stress-wave velocity) were observed among the trees. Basic density showed a constant value up to 10 cm from pith, at which point it began to increase. The fiber length increased up to 10 cm from the pith and then showed an almost constant value. According to the radial variation of the basic density and fiber length, wood is categorized as core wood, which includes that up to 10 cm from the pith, and outer wood, which is that from 10 cm to the bark. In addition, a significant difference in the basic density of core wood was observed among the trees, indicating that the selection of a plus tree with high-density wood in this species is possible at a relatively early stage. These results indicate that the wood quality in P. falcataria can be improved through tree breeding.

/pdf/variation-in-the-wood-properties-of-paraserianthes-4wllp549uw.pdf

Nobuo Yoshizawa

Papers

Investigation of relationships between cell and pulp properties in Eucalyptus by examination of within-tree property variations

In vitro regeneration of the medicinal woody plant Phellodendron amurense Rupr. through excised leaves

Anatomy and lignin distribution of reaction wood in two Magnolia species

Prediction of the mechanical properties of lumber by stress-wave velocity and Pilodyn penetration of 36-year-old Japanese larch trees

Variation in the wood properties of paraserianthes falcataria planted in indonesia