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The relationship between lignin and morphological characteristics of the tracheary elements from cacao(Theobroma cacao L.) Hulls

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Abstract

Tracheary elements (TEs) were physically separated from the hulls of cacao pods(Theobroma cacao L). Their morphological features were extensively investigated with scanning electron microscopy and chemical characterization. Spiral TEs were covered with a thin layer of primary wall that had a web-like structure on its outer surface. These TEs had a spiral circularity diameter of 8.2 ± 0.6 μm and an estimated secondary wall thickness of about 2.1 ± 0.2 μm. Polarized microscopy analysis revealed that the cellulose microfibrils were aligned parallel to that thickening. Lignin content was 36.1%, with a 0.13:1.00 molar ratio of syringyl to guaiacyl units and a 1.09:1.00 molar ratio of erythronic acid and threonic acid. Total yields of the alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation and ozonation products were 324.5 and 148.8 μmol g-1 of extract-free TEs, respectively. Based on these morphological and lignin characteristics, we conclude that fully ripened cacao hulls exhibit the same features of secondary wall thickening as those seen at an earlier stage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), 580-185, Jeongeup, Korea

    Byung Yeoup Chung & Seung Sik Lee

  2. Department of Applied Life Sciences, Chonbuk National University, 561-756, Jeonju, Korea

    Jae-Young Cho

  3. Department of Biomaterial Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8657, Tokyo, Japan

    Byung Yeoup Chung, Yoshiharu Nishiyama, Yuji Matsumoto & Kenji liyama

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  1. Byung Yeoup Chung
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  2. Jae-Young Cho
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  3. Seung Sik Lee
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  4. Yoshiharu Nishiyama
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  5. Yuji Matsumoto
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  6. Kenji liyama
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Correspondence to Jae-Young Cho.

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Chung, B.Y., Cho, JY., Lee, S.S. et al. The relationship between lignin and morphological characteristics of the tracheary elements from cacao(Theobroma cacao L.) Hulls. J. Plant Biol. 51, 139–144 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03030723

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03030723

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