Premium
Variations in Lignin and Other Structural Components of Brown Midrib Mutants of Maize 1
Author(s) -
Muller L. D.,
Barnes R. F.,
Bauman L. F.,
Colenbrander V. F.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1971.0011183x001100030030x
Subject(s) - biology , lignin , tassel , husk , brown rice , cellulose , horticulture , leaf blade , botany , stem and leaf display , zea mays , agronomy , food science , biochemistry
Three brown midrib (mutant) genotypes of maize ( Zea mays L.) in inbred Tr background, bm 1 , bm 3 , and bm 1 / bm 3 were harvested at 10, 35, and 55 days post‐silking and compared to the normal inbred line, Tr. Plants were separated into leaf blade, leaf sheath, stem, and a composite of husk, kernel, cob, and tassel tissue. Structural and nonstructural constituents were determined for component parts, and a weighted mean was obtained for the whole plant. Acid detergent lignin (ADL) values of the whole plant for normal, bm 1 , bm 3 , and bm 1 / bm 3 were 6.08, 5.13, 4.37, and 4.60%, respectively, for plants harvested 35 days post‐silking. The leaf blade, stem, and leaf sheath tissue of the three brown midrib genotypes contained lower ADL (P < .05) than the normal maize. Similar differences existed at 10 and 55 days post‐silking. The brown midrib genotypes, bm 3 and bm 1 / bm 3 , were consistently lower in ADL than was bm 1 over harvests and plant parts. Other structural and nonstructural constituents measured were variable. The normal counterpart had higher ADL/acid‐detergent fiber (ADF) and ADL/cellulose ratios than the three brown midrib genotypes for leaf blade, stem, and leaf sheath tissue.