Genotypic variation of cell wall composition and its conversion efficiency in Miscanthus sinensis, a potential biomass feedstock crop in China. Issue 6 (12th September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Hua; Li, Qian; He, Junrong; Yu, Jiangyan; Yang, Junpin; Liu, Chunzhao; Peng, Junhua
• Is Part Of: Global change biology. Volume 6:Issue 6(2014)
• Page Start: 768
• Page End: 776
• Publication Date: 2013-09-12
• Subjects: Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Energy crops -- Periodicals; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1111/gcbb.12115
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-1693

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="gcbb12115-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Plant cell walls are composed of cellulose microfibrils embedded in a cross‐linked‐net of matrix polysaccharides and co‐polymerized with lignin. The study presented the genotypic variations of cell wall composition, biohydrogen production, and lignocellulose degradation ratio in a collection of 102 <italic>Miscanthus sinensis</italic> (<italic>M</italic>. <italic>Sinensis</italic>, hereafter) accessions collected from a wide geographical range in China. Significant variations were observed for the determined traits, cellulose content, hemicellulose content, cellulose and hemicellulose degradation efficiency, and biohydrogen yield. The cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents ranged from 30.20–44.25, 28.97–42.65, and 6.96–20.75%, respectively. The degradation ratio of cellulose and hemicellulose varied from 2.08% to 37.87% and from 14.71% to 52.50%, respectively. The feedstock was fermented to produce biohydrogen, and the production varied from 14.59 to 40.66 ml per gram of <italic>Miscanthus</italic> biomass. The expression profile of three cellulose synthase (<italic>MsCesA</italic>) genes was initially established to indicate the genotypic difference among the <italic>M</italic>. <italic>sinensis</italic> accessions. Pearson's correlations were conducted to reveal the perplexing relationship between the tested traits, biohydrogen yield, cell wall composition and their degradation efficiency. In addition, the relationship pattern, between the test traits and the geographic factors corresponding with the original place, was investigated. The result showed that the significant variation among the <italic>M</italic>. <italic>sinensis</italic> genotypes is the result of natural selection in different environments of their original habitats. Improvement in cell wall composition and structure and enhancement of lignocellulose degradation ratio could significantly increase sustainable bioenergy production.</p> </abstract>