Investigating the Variation between Lignin Content and the Fracture Characteristics in Capsicum annuum Mutant Stems

The cultivation of horticultural plants in controlled greenhouse environments is a pivotal practice in modern agriculture, offering the potential to enhance crop productivity and mitigate climate change effects. This study investigates the biomechanical properties and lignin content of various Capsi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Agriculture (Basel) 2024-10, Vol.14 (10), p.1771
Main Authors: Pápai, Bánk, Kovács, Zsófia, Tóth-Lencsés, Kitti Andrea, Bedő, Janka, Chan, Khin Nyein, Kovács-Weber, Mária, Pap, Tibor István, Csilléry, Gábor, Szőke, Antal, Veres, Anikó
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
biomechanical properties
Biomechanics
Biosynthesis
Capsicum annuum
Climate change
Climate change mitigation
Climatic changes
Correlation
Crop production
Cultivars
Farm buildings
Gene expression
Genes
Genetic research
Genotypes
Lignin
lignin content
Mechanical properties
Mutants
Mutation
Peppers
Plant layout
Rigidity
stem rigidity
Stems
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Summary:The cultivation of horticultural plants in controlled greenhouse environments is a pivotal practice in modern agriculture, offering the potential to enhance crop productivity and mitigate climate change effects. This study investigates the biomechanical properties and lignin content of various Capsicum annuum mutant lines—‘fragile-plant’ (frx), ‘tortuous internodi’ (tti), and ‘puffy-structured stem’ (pfi)—in comparison to a commercially established variety, ‘Garai Fehér’. We employed the acetyl bromide method to quantify lignin content and conducted three-point bending tests to assess rigidity in three distinct regions of the stem. Gene expression analysis of key lignin biosynthetic pathway genes (PAL, C4H, 4CL, CCoAOMT, CAD) was performed using qRT-PCR. The results revealed significant differences in lignin content and breaking force among the genotypes and stem regions. The tti mutants exhibited similar lignin content to the control but lower breaking strength, likely due to elongated internodes. The frx mutants showed uniformly reduced lignin content, correlating with their fragile stems. The pfi mutants displayed abnormally high lignin content in the top region yet demonstrated the lowest stem rigidity in every region. Overexpression of CAD and CCoAOMT was detected in the mutants in specific regions of the stem, suggesting alterations in lignin biosynthesis; however, we could not confirm the correlation between them. Our findings indicate that while lignin content generally correlates with stem rigidity, this trait is complex and influenced by more factors.
ISSN:2077-0472
2077-0472
DOI:10.3390/agriculture14101771