Session 8: Improved Grassland Machanization and Cropping Systems Including a Section Dealing with Improved Research Techniques for Laboratory and Field Evaluation of Forages
Publication Date
1985
Location
Kyoto Japan
Description
Digestibility of important legume forages is determined mainly by the quality of stem. Lignin is a major constituent of the legume cell wall and close relation between digestibility and lignin concentration in legume stem tissue have been found. Cross sections of alfalfa stems have been stained by Phloroglucine/HCl. Lignified tissue, mainly within the xylem and in the sclerenchyma tissue beyond the vascular bundle, appears sharply separated from surrounding stem tissue. This allows to record the respective areas quantitatively. The image analysis data of selected cross sections of alfalfa stems were correlated with chemically analyzed (MnO4-Oxidation) lignin concentration of the total stem portion up to r=0.95, in vitro digestibility correlated up to r=-0.92, depending on the position within the stem taken for cross sections. Main advantage of the quantitative image analysis might be expected in diagnostical applications because it is much faster to perform than any chemical analysis, it records not only lignin concentration but also lignin distribution within plant tissue and it takes extremely small amounts of plant material.
Citation
Kuhbauch, W and Bestajovsky, J, "Determination of Lignin Concentration and Digestibility in Stem Tissue of Alfalfa by Means of Quantitative Image Analysis" (1985). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 3.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1985/ses8/3)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Determination of Lignin Concentration and Digestibility in Stem Tissue of Alfalfa by Means of Quantitative Image Analysis
Kyoto Japan
Digestibility of important legume forages is determined mainly by the quality of stem. Lignin is a major constituent of the legume cell wall and close relation between digestibility and lignin concentration in legume stem tissue have been found. Cross sections of alfalfa stems have been stained by Phloroglucine/HCl. Lignified tissue, mainly within the xylem and in the sclerenchyma tissue beyond the vascular bundle, appears sharply separated from surrounding stem tissue. This allows to record the respective areas quantitatively. The image analysis data of selected cross sections of alfalfa stems were correlated with chemically analyzed (MnO4-Oxidation) lignin concentration of the total stem portion up to r=0.95, in vitro digestibility correlated up to r=-0.92, depending on the position within the stem taken for cross sections. Main advantage of the quantitative image analysis might be expected in diagnostical applications because it is much faster to perform than any chemical analysis, it records not only lignin concentration but also lignin distribution within plant tissue and it takes extremely small amounts of plant material.
