Genotypic variation in phenolic components of cell-walls in relation to the digestibility of maize stalks

Abstract

Stalks of several normal maize hybrids, displaying a broad range in cell-wall digestibility, were examined for lignin content and monomeric composition and for ester-linked and ether-linked p-coumaric and ferulic acids. Genotypic variation was found in all of these components. Changes in cell-wall digestibility were associated with several phenolic component characteristics. It was therefore difficult to attribute a clear causal effect on degradability to a single cell-wall component, and to distinguish direct from indirect effects. However, amongst normal hybrids, it seemed that the lignin content, together with the content of etherified ferulic acid, which probably acts as a bridge between lignins and hemicelluloses, had a strong influence on the inhibition of the cell-wall digestibility.