Abstract
The maize (Zea mays) stem is a biological structure that must balance both biotic and structural load bearing duties. These competing requirements are particularly relevant in the design of new bioenergy crops. Although increased stem digestibility is typically associated with a lower structural strength and higher propensity for lodging, with the right balance between structural and biological activities it may be possible to design crops that are high-yielding and have digestible biomass. This study investigates the hypothesis that geometric factors are much more influential in determining structural strength than tissue properties. To study these influences, both physical and in silico experiments were used. First, maize stems were tested in three-point bending. Specimen-specific finite element models were created based on x-ray computed tomography scans. Models were validated by comparison with experimental data. Sensitivity analyses were used to assess the influence of structural parameters such as geometric and material properties. As hypothesized, geometry was found to have a much stronger influence on structural stability than material properties. This information reinforces the notion that deficiencies in tissue strength could be offset by manipulation of stalk morphology, thus allowing the creation of stalks which are both resilient and digestible.
Highlights
The maize (Zea mays) stem is a biological structure that must balance both biotic and structural load bearing duties
This study demonstrates through both empirical and computational approaches that geometric factors have a strong influence on bending stiffness and stalk strength, with material properties having a much lower influence
Using a combination of validated models and empirical data, this study conclusively demonstrated that the morphology of the maize stalk has a much greater influence on structural flexibility and strength than mechanical tissue properties
Summary
The maize (Zea mays) stem is a biological structure that must balance both biotic and structural load bearing duties. These competing requirements are relevant in the design of new bioenergy crops. The problem of wind-induced failure is a particular challenge for the achievement of new dual-purpose crops Such crop could yield high levels of grain while at the same time possessing stems and leaves that are suitable for biofuel production. Mechanical stresses were quite sensitive to morphology, but much less sensitive to tissue properties If this were true, structural deficiencies caused by a reduction in lignin content might be effectively offset by compensatory changes to stalk morphology, providing a means for achieving dual-purpose crops
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