Abstract
Society demands chemicals from sustainable sources. Identification of commercially important chemicals in crops increases value in biorefineries and reduces reliance on petrochemicals. Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus sacchariflorus are high-yielding distinct plants, which are sources of high-value chemicals and bioethanol through fermentation. Cinnamates in leaves, stems and flowers were analysed by LC-ESI-MS(n). Free phenols were extracted and separated chromatographically. More than twenty hydroxycinnamates were identified by UV and LC-ESI-MS(n). Several cinnamate hexosides were detected in the M. sinensis flower and in M. sacchariflorus (leaf and stem). Hydroxybenzoic acids and their hexosides were observed in leaf and stem of M. sacchariflorus. Higher concentrations of 3-feruloylquinic acid were observed in M. sacchariflorus stem, suggesting a role in cell-wall biosynthesis. This technique can be used to screen plants in a mapping family to identify genotypes/species with high concentrations of phenols. Plants with low concentrations of antimicrobial phenols may be good feedstocks for fermentation.
Highlights
Concerns about global warming and depletion of fossil fuels have stimulated interest in development of cleaner technologies that use sustainable and carbon-neutral feedstocks (Alonso et al, 2010; Sims et al, 2006)
Miscanthus giganteus (M. giganteus), a perennial rhizomatous grass with C4-photosynthesis, can grow to heights of more than 3.5 m in a single growth season (Villaverde et al, 2010a, 2010b). This hybrid is a sterile triploid formed by a cross between Miscanthus sacchariflorus (M. sacchariflorus) and Miscanthus sinensis (M. sinensis)
We evaluate and compare the phenolic composition of these two claimed parent species of this hybrid
Summary
Concerns about global warming and depletion of fossil fuels have stimulated interest in development of cleaner technologies that use sustainable and carbon-neutral feedstocks (Alonso et al, 2010; Sims et al, 2006). Sustainable feedstocks will be provided, at least in part, by the cultivation of non-food energy crops (Lewandowski et al, 2000; Sims et al, 2006). Giganteus), a perennial rhizomatous grass with C4-photosynthesis, can grow to heights of more than 3.5 m in a single growth season (Villaverde et al, 2010a, 2010b). This hybrid is a sterile triploid formed by a cross between Miscanthus sacchariflorus (M. sacchariflorus) and Miscanthus sinensis (M. sinensis). We evaluate and compare the phenolic composition of these two claimed parent species of this hybrid
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