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TEM/FE-SEM studies on tension wood fibres of Acer spp., Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus robur L.

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Abstract

Tension wood (TW) fibres from maple, beech and oak were analysed with special emphasis on the cell wall fine structure and deposition of aromatic compounds within the gelatinous layer (GL). For this purpose, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was applied after section staining with potassium permanganate. There was evidence for the occurrence of aromatic compounds in the GLs of fibres of all three species. Some GLs showed a concentric sub-layering. Hence, conclusions about the biosynthetic activities during cell wall formation in TW could be derived. Additional information about structural characteristics of TW fibres were obtained by means of field emission electron microscopy. High-resolution micrographs of cell walls were used for measurements of diameter and microfibril angle (MFA) of cellulose aggregates (CAG). CAG of 7 nm were observed although their diameter varied greatly in the GLs. MFA in the secondary wall of TW was slightly smaller than in opposite wood. The microscopic methods provided complementary ultrastructural and topochemical information on tension wood fibres. The subcellular localisation of aromatic compounds and the observations of the ultrastructural morphology will contribute to the understanding of origin and functionality of TW and its characteristic GL.

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Acknowledgments

Christian Lehringer likes to thank Geoffrey Daniel and his colleagues for the hospitability during a two months research visit at WURC/SLU in Uppsala. Moreover, this visit would not have been realised without the kind financial support of the GFF (Gesellschaft der Förderer und Freunde des Zentrums Holzwirtschaft der Universität Hamburg e.V.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Wood Biology and Wood Protection, Federal Research Institute of Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries (vTI), Hamburg, Germany

    Christian Lehringer & Uwe Schmitt

  2. Department of Forest Products/Wood Science, WURC, Wood Ultrastructure Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

    Geoffrey Daniel

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  1. Christian Lehringer
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  2. Geoffrey Daniel
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  3. Uwe Schmitt
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Correspondence to Christian Lehringer.

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Lehringer, C., Daniel, G. & Schmitt, U. TEM/FE-SEM studies on tension wood fibres of Acer spp., Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus robur L.. Wood Sci Technol 43, 691–702 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-009-0260-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-009-0260-7

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