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Structure and digestibility of tissues in normal and brown midrib pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum )
Author(s) -
Akin Danny E,
Rigsby Luanne L,
Hanna Wayne W,
Gates Roger N
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740560412
Subject(s) - pennisetum , pearl , biology , biodegradation , parenchyma , botany , agronomy , chemistry , horticulture , ecology , philosophy , theology
Abstract The tissues in leaf blades, midribs, sheaths and stems of normal (N), 5848, and two brown midrib (bmr) mutants, 5753 and 5778, of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L) R Br) were examined for structural characteristics related to digestibility. The anatomies of the various plant parts were not substantially different between N and bmr plants. The more rigid, lignified tissues such as vascular bundles in all plant parts and the rind of stems were not digested after incubation for 7 days in N or bmr plants, indicating that modifications in these tissues were not sufficient to affect biodegradation. Modifications in the digestible tissues resulted in faster and more extensive degradation in bmr plants, and these changes appear to be the most significant in relation to biodegradation. The parenchyma of midveins and stems, which occupies c 70 and 60% of the cross‐sectional area of these respective parts, were the sites where modification in phenolics resulted in the greatest improvement in digestibility.