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Rapid Assessment of Lignin Content and Structure in Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) Grown Under Different Environmental Conditions

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Abstract

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a candidate feedstock in bioenergy, and plant breeding and molecular genetic strategies are being used to improve germplasm. In order to assess these subsequent modifications, baseline biomass compositional data are needed in a relevant variety of environments. In this study, switchgrass cv. Alamo was grown in the field, greenhouse, and growth chamber and harvested into individual leaf and stem tissue components. These components were analyzed with pyrolysis vapor analysis using molecular beam mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared, and standard wet chemistry methods to characterize and compare the composition among the different growth environments. The details of lignin content, S/G ratios, and degree of cross-linked lignin are discussed. Multivariate approaches such as projection to latent structures regression found a very strong correlation between the lignin content obtained by standard wet chemistry methods and the two high throughput techniques employed to rapidly assess lignin in potential switchgrass candidates. The models were tested on unknown samples and verified by wet chemistry. The similar lignin content found by the two methods shows that both approaches are capable of determining lignin content in biomass in a matter of minutes.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

FTIR:

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

L1, L2, etc.:

Leaf tissue 1, Leaf tissue 2, etc.

PLS:

Projection to latent structures

PyMBMS:

Pyrolysis vapor analysis using molecular beam mass spectrometry

RMSEC:

Root mean square error of calibration

RMSEP:

Root mean square error of prediction

S1, S2, etc.:

Stem tissue 1, Stem tissue 2, etc.

SD:

Standard deviation

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Mitra Mazarei and Murali Raghavendra for input on the manuscript. This work was funded by the Southeastern Sun Grant Initiative grant number DOT 0T0S5907G00050 and the Bioenergy Science Center (BESC). BESC is a US Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Center supported by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research in the DOE Office of Science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    David G. J. Mann, Jason N. Burris & C. Neal Stewart Jr.

  2. Forest Products Center; Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, 2506 Jacob Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996-4570, USA

    Nicole Labbé, Lindsey Kline & Isabella M. Swamidoss

  3. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, USA

    Robert W. Sykes, Kristen Gracom & Mark Davis

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  1. David G. J. Mann
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  2. Nicole Labbé
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  9. C. Neal Stewart Jr.
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Correspondence to Nicole Labbé.

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Mann, D.G.J., Labbé, N., Sykes, R.W. et al. Rapid Assessment of Lignin Content and Structure in Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) Grown Under Different Environmental Conditions. Bioenerg. Res. 2, 246–256 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-009-9054-x

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