Increase In Cellulose Content Research Articles

Tahapan Proses Produksi Dan Karakterisasi Bioplastik Dari Limbah Tongkol Jagung

Plastic is the dominant packaging used by the public, so it has the potential to damage the environment. It is necessary to synthesize raw materials for making plastics that are degraded by microorganisms, namely bioplastics. Bioplastics are packaging materials that are synthesized from natural raw materials so that they can be degraded in the environment. The raw material used is corncob because it is abundant and the benefits are not maximized. Research is needed to examine the stages of the production process and the characterization of bioplastics from corncob waste. The purpose of this study was to examine the stages of the production process and the characterization of bioplastics from corncob waste. This study used a laboratory experimental method with descriptive analysis. The production of bioplastics consists of the stages of making cellulose, cellulose acetate, and bioplastics using the solution casting method. The stages of cellulose isolation include hydrolysis, delignification, pulping, and bleaching, which showed an increase in cellulose content from 32.14% to 79.36%. Cellulose is acetylated to become cellulose acetate and has an acetyl content of 11.70 ± 0.40% with a yield of 121.16 ± 0.98%. The production of bioplastics uses a composition of cellulose acetate and chitosan at 50%:50% (w/w) successively. The resulting bioplastic has a thickness of 0.345 ± 0.024 mm, a density of 0.83 ± 0.03 g/cm3, a moisture content of 13.13%, a biodegradation value of 95.19%, a water resistance of 205.57%, and is transparent. The mechanical properties of bioplastics include a tensile strength of 22.3 N/m, an elongation of 21.11%, and a modulus of elasticity of 0.307 Mpa.

Anaerobic digestion of an invasive aquatic plant Ludwigia grandiflora by thermal hydrolysis pretreatment: Correlations between methane kinetics and substrate composition

Ludwigia grandiflora, an emerging aquatic weed, has become a global waterway invader, causing various environmental issues. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of lignocellulosic biomass is a cost-effective treatment method. To enhance methane yield, pretreatment is required to break the rigid lignocellulose structure, which hampers the biodegradability of the biomass. Therefore, in this study, we examined the impact of thermal hydrolysis (TH) pretreatment on L. grandiflora through batch AD tests at temperatures ranging from 150 to 210 °C, with durations of 10 and 30 mins. At 180 °C for 30 mins (severity factor of 3.8), methane yield increased significantly by 142.7 % compared to the untreated condition. Significant methane production differences were observed at temperatures equal to or above 165 °C. Longer retention times, such as 30 mins, were crucial for enhancing methane yield. Additionally, the Modified Gompertz model was a good fit for the AD process, with R2 values ranging from 0.996 to 0.935 and lag phase reduction from 0.273 (untreated) to 0.102-0.000 days for the pretreated conditions. Methane yield and production rates increased from 88.85 mL g-VS−1 and 15.01 mL g-VS−1 day−1 (untreated) to 110.48-206.41 mL g-VS−1 and 30.76-71.33 mL g-VS−1 day−1, respectively. Pearson correlation revealed a positive correlation between cellulose and methane yield enhancement, while lignin, crystallinity index, and pH showed negative correlations. Despite these negative correlations, their impact on the AD process was limited. Overall, changes in lignocellulosic structure and increased cellulose content were the main factors enhancing methane production. Additionally, the study recommends a new cost-effective reactor design for TH pretreatment.

The potential of using sweet corn (Zea mays Saccharata) husk waste as a source for biodegradable plastics

Synthetic plastics are generally challenging to degrade in the environment and capable of releasing harmful chemicals upon improper disposal, endangering both wildlife and humans. Therefore, this study aimed to develop cellulose-based bioplastics from corn husk waste and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) using sorbitol as a plasticizer. The effect of corn husk delignification, CMC addition, and variations in sorbitol concentration were investigated. The results of Chesson's test showed that the delignification process increased cellulose content to 77.30% and decreased lignin content to 3.6%. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) demonstrated the effective removal of lignin and hemicellulose components from corn husk fibers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated the elevation of corn husk crystallinity from 63.97% to 80.83% after the treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed bioplastic morphologies featuring porous and smooth surfaces juxtaposed with uneven and lumpy characteristics. Biodegradation assessment yielded a peak value of 33.4% under a composition comprising 3% CMC and 1.5% sorbitol. The swelling test performed on corn husk bioplastic samples produced values ranging from 52.89 to 66%, with the highest value recorded at 66% for the bioplastic formulation consisting of 3% CMC and 1.5% sorbitol. Resistance testing on samples containing 3% CMC, with a soaking time of four days in acidic environments, indicated a maximum weight loss of 61.3% (10% H2SO4) and 62.5% (20% H2SO4). Alkaline resistance tests displayed a 95.6% (10% NaOH) and 94.6% (20% NaOH) weight loss under similar conditions. These results suggested the potential utility of corn husk waste as a viable bioplastic source, promoting the circular economy concept in Indonesia while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, reducing waste volume, and increasing rural economic growth.

CELLULOSE NANOFIBER FROM YERBA MATE STICKS: SURVEY OF MORPHOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND THERMAL PROPERTIES

This study aims to evaluate different process conditions for obtaining cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from yerba mate residues. This includes chemical (bleaching and/or TEMPO-oxidation), physical (steam explosion), and mechanical treatments (ultrafine grinding). All treatments demonstrated to be efficient in obtaining CNFs, as observed from a morphological analysis by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). A reduction of hemicelluloses and an increase in cellulose content was observed from the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results, after all the treatments. The yerba mate sample that underwent physical/chemical/mechanical treatments showed a higher thermal degradation temperature peak at 333 °C, with a degradation of 50% of the initial mass. The activation energy (Ea) increased from 33% to 64%, when the CNFs were obtained using the derivative Friedman method for all the samples, and this method presented a greater proximity to the experimental results. These results demonstrate that CNFs can be obtained from yerba mate residues, to valorize this lignocellulosic biomass.

Changes over time in ferroelectricity of nanocomposites containing cellulose combined with [NH4][Zn(HCOO)3

ABSTRACT For the first time, a composite based on a ferroelectric metal-organic framework of [NH4][Zn(HCOO)3] combined with nanocellulose at different cellulose concentrations from 0 to 75 wt% was synthesised to investigate the changes over time in phase transition and ferroelectric switching. A comparative study for fresh samples and the samples after 288 h was conducted. Electrophysical parameters were measured in a temperature range of 140 to 245 K under a weak electric field with an amplitude of 2 V.cm−1 at a frequency of 1 kHz. The results indicated that the increase in cellulose content led to increasing the phase transition temperature from 190.1 to 238.5 K. Besides, the coercive field was also found to increase from 3.78 to 14.12 kV.cm−1 along with the reduction of dielectric permittivity and maximum polarisation. After 288 h, this phase transition decreased significantly over time even to 231.6 K in the case of highest cellulose content (75 wt%). Meanwhile, the coercive field was found to decrease from 14.12 to 10.57 kV.cm−1. Remarkable changes were detected for samples with cellulose content of higher 25 wt%. The weaker interaction between ferroelectric part and cellulose over time due to the softness of cellulose was responsible for the obtained phenomena.

Brassinosteroids affect wood development and properties of Fraxinus mandshurica.

Xylem development plays a crucial role in wood formation in woody plants. In recent years, there has been growing attention towards the impact of brassinosteroids (BRs) on this xylem development. In the present study, we evaluated the dynamic variation of xylem development in Fraxinus mandshurica (female parent, M8) and a novel interspecific hybrid F. mandshurica × Fraxinus sogdiana (1601) from May to August 2020. We obtained RNA-Seq transcriptomes of three tissue types (xylem, phloem, and leaf) to identify the differences in xylem-differentially expressed genes (X-DEGs) and xylem-specifically expressed genes (X-SEGs) in M8 and 1601 variants. We then further evaluated these genes via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) alongside overexpressing FmCPD, a BR biosynthesis enzyme gene, in transient transgenic F. mandshurica. Our results indicated that the xylem development cycle of 1601 was extended by 2 weeks compared to that of M8. In addition, during the later wood development stages (secondary wall thickening) of 1601, an increased cellulose content (14%) and a reduced lignin content (11%) was observed. Furthermore, vessel length and width increased by 67% and 37%, respectively, in 1601 compared with those of M8. A total of 4589 X-DEGs were identified, including enzymes related to phenylpropane metabolism, galactose metabolism, BR synthesis, and signal transduction pathways. WGCNA identified hub X-SEGs involved in cellulose synthesis and BR signaling in the 1601 wood formation-related module (CESA8, COR1, C3H14, and C3H15); in contrast, genes involved in phenylpropane metabolism were significantly enriched in the M8 wood formation-related module (CCoAOMT and CCR). Moreover, overexpression of FmCPD in transient transgenic F. mandshurica affected the expression of genes associated with lignin and cellulose biosynthesis signal transduction. Finally, BR content was determined to be approximately 20% lower in the M8 xylem than in the 1601 xylem, and the exogenous application of BRs (24-epi brassinolide) significantly increased the number of xylem cell layers and altered the composition of the secondary cell walls in F. mandshurica. Our findings suggest that BR biosynthesis and signaling play a critical role in the differing wood development and properties observed between M8 and 1601 F. mandshurica.

Effect of chemical treatment on physico-chemical properties of a novel extracted cellulosic Cryptostegia grandiflora fiber ∗ ∗ Some of the images used in figure 1 of this paper were previously published in another work by the same authors, but correct attribution was not provided by the authors in the version of this paper that was originally published.

The increasing global need to achieve sustainability in product development demands the use of biodegradable materials from renewable resources in many engineering applications. Accordingly, various natural fibers were explored as suitable reinforcement in polymer matrixes due to their low density and biodegradability. Hence, in this present work, a novel fiber reinforcement was extracted from the stem of the Cryptostegia grandiflora (CG) plant through a retting process and manual intervention. The extracted Cryptostegia grandiflora fibers (CGFs) were chemically treated using NaOH and silane. Various properties like crystal structure, chemical composition, surface morphology, and thermal degradation were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) Scanning electron Microscopy (SEM) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The increasing cellulose content and the removal of hemicellulose after the chemical treatment indicate the potential for this CG fiber as a better reinforcement element in polymers. The increasing trend of tensile strength was observed for the CG fiber in the following order: silane > NaOH > untreated conditions. Two-stage thermal degradation was observed in all the cases where the maximum thermal degradation was found at the silane-treated CG fibers. Based on their performance, the chemically treated CG fibres can be made into composites and used for structural applications.

Synthesis of hierarchical HZSM-5 utilizing natural cellulose as templates for promoted production of aromatic hydrocarbons in the catalytic pyrolysis of biomass

Templating agents were created by utilizing several methods to handle natural cellulose (bagasse), and they were successfully used to treat HZSM-5 to introduce extra mesopores. In addition, the hierarchical HZSM-5 was employed in the catalytic pyrolysis of biomass to produce hydrocarbon fuels. The hydroxyl content in the templating agent could be promoted via hydrothermal and ultrasound-assisted treatment, improving their performance as templates to produce mesopores. The cellulose content in the templating agents was effectively boosted via hydrothermal-assisted treatment, whereas their relative crystallinity was improved by ultrasound assistance. The formation of mesopores was promoted with the increased cellulose content in the templating agents, and the catalytic performance in upgrading pyrolysis gas for aromatic hydrocarbons could be significantly improved. Higher relative crystallinity was advantageous for enhancing the stability of the templating agent in the catalyst synthesis system, and the formation of pore structures of the catalyst was promoted. Among all catalysts synthesized, catalysts synthesized by hydrothermal-assisted treatment (Cat-H(X)) presented the highest specific surface area and average pore size of 397.60 m2/g and 4.53 nm, which were about 1.41 and 1.98 times of commercial HZSM-5 (H-Z). The highest yield of BTX obtained with Cat-H(X) was 8.7 wt%, 1.81 times that obtained with H-Z.

Comparison of treatments for cellulose pulp from agro-industrial wastes from the Amazon region

Agroindustrial waste (AIW) is a potential source of cellulose, which can be obtained through different treatments. In this study, we evaluated four delignification treatments (10% sodium hydroxide, 50% ethanol, distilled water, and 25% Mohr's salt) to obtain cellulose pulp from four Amazonian AIWs (banana peel, cassava peel, sugarcane bagasse, and rice husk). Our results showed that sodium hydroxide treatment had the highest lignin removal and increased cellulose content, while Mohr's salt treatment had the lowest cellulose yield and lignin removal. Banana peel and rice husk had the highest cellulose yield, while cassava peel had the lowest. Distilled water treatment at medium temperature had similar lignin removal and cellulose yield to the sodium hydroxide and ethanol treatments. Our findings suggest that AIWs have great potential as a source of cellulose and that these economical, simple, and eco-friendly treatments can be used to obtain high-purity cellulose from AIWs.

A systematic study on material properties of water retted Sterculia and Bauhinia fiber

Lignocellulose biomass forms an important component of traditional and next generation composite materials. To obtain desired properties, the biomass needs to be chemo‒mechanically processed at different levels. The raw lignocellulose fiber obtained from Sterculia villosa (Roxb.) and Bauhinia vahlii is traditionally believed to have high water stability; and therefore used in rural areas of South Asian regions to secure objects submerged under water. In this research, we systematically studied several material properties of raw Sterculia and Bauhinia fiber samples retted for 0, 20, 30 and 55 days (n=8). Water retting resulted in significant decrease in lignin and extractives content (p<0.05) and increase in cellulose content. Fiber bundle strength of Sterculia fiber increased with retting time (R2= 0.7) but Bauhinia fiber did not show significant change (p>0.05). Interestingly, water retting resulted in increased thermal stability in both fiber types. These findings suggested that the fiber studied have excellent water stability. The observed trend in mechanical and thermal properties could have resulted from crystallinity change and/or nominal fiber damage as supported by XRD and SEM imaging data; respectively. These findings suggested that Sterculia and Bauhinia fiber biomass could be an important component of biodegradable composite materials which are intended for high wetting and/or humid conditions.

Synthesis and characterization of chitosan/cellulose blend reinforced with copper oxide nanoparticles as moisture barrier film

Bio-based plastics emerged as eco-friendly and resource-efficient substitutes for petroleum-based counterparts. Despite the continuous efforts to develop these alternatives, their inferior performance, most notably mechanical and moisture barrier aspects, limits their application. Material hybridization, like polymer blending and nanocomposite technology, are among the methods employed to improve the properties of bioplastics. This present work focuses on synthesizing bioplastic films with 30/70, 50/50, and 70/30 chitosan to cellulose (CH/CE) percent weight ratios. FTIR analysis of the blend films revealed interaction between NH2 and OH, confirming the compatibility between chitosan and cellulose. Analysis of variance showed increasing cellulose content significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the resistance to swelling. The 30/70-CH/CE film exhibited the least swelling, which is 65.5% lower than the pure chitosan film. Moreover, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were prepared as reinforcement due to its hydrophobicity. Structural and morphological analyses of hydrothermally synthesized CuO nanoparticles confirmed monoclinic and urchin-like structure. Varying amounts of CuO NPs, i.e., 1%, 3%, and 5% w/v were added to the 30/70-CH/CE films to further enhance the moisture barrier properties. The best barrier performance was attained at 5% w/v, indicated by the smallest % swelling (93.25%) and largest contact angle measurement (89.32°). This could be related to the morphological change from fibrous to smoother film surface with increasing amount of CuO NPs. Results suggest the potential of the chitosan/cellulose polymer blend and the copper oxide nanoparticle-reinforced films for moisture barrier applications.

Enhanced β-glucosidase in Western flower thrips affects its interaction with the redox-based strategies of kidney beans under elevated CO2.

β-Glucosidase is validated as an elicitor for early immune responses in plants and it was detected in the salivary glands of Frankliniella occidentalis in previous research. Seven differentially expressed genes encoding β-glucosidase were obtained by comparing the transcriptomes of F. occidentalis adults grown under two different CO2 concentrations (800 vs. 400 ppm), which might be associated with the differences in the interaction between F. occidentalis adults and its host plant, Phaseolus vulgaris under different CO2 levels. To verify this speculation, changes in defense responses based on the production and elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in P. vulgaris leaves treated with three levels of β-glucosidase activity under ambient CO2 (aCO2 ) and elevated CO2 (eCO2 ) were measured in this study. According to the results, significantly higher levels of ROS were noticed under eCO2 compared to aCO2 , which was caused by the increased β-glucosidase activity in thrips due to increased cellulose content in P. vulgaris leaves under eCO2 . Together with the lower activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT)in injured leaves under eCO2 , P. vulgaris leaves would be negatively affected on redox-based defense by eCO2 , thus facilitating thrips damage under climate change.

Steam explosion pretreatment enhancing enzymatic digestibility of overground tubers of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.).

Tiger nut (TN) is recognized as a high potential plant which can grow in well-drained sandy or loamy soils and provide food nutrients. However, the overground tubers of TN remain unutilized currently, which limits the value-added utilization and large-area cultivation of this plant. In the present study, the overground tubers of TN were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis to produce fermentable sugars for biofuels production. Steam explosion (SE) was applied to modify the physical-chemical properties of the overground tubers of TN for enhancing its saccharification. Results showed that SE broke the linkages of hemicellulose and lignin in the TN substrates and increased cellulose content through removal of hemicellulose. Meanwhile, SE cleaved inner linkages within cellulose molecules, reducing the degree of polymerization by 32.13-77.84%. Cellulose accessibility was significantly improved after SE, which was revealed visibly by the confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging techniques. As a result, enzymatic digestibility of the overground tubers of TN was dramatically enhanced. The cellulose conversion of the SE treated TN substrates reached 38.18-63.97%, which was 2.5-4.2 times higher than that without a SE treatment. Therefore, SE pretreatment promoted saccharification of the overground tubers of TN, which paves the way for value-added valorization of the TN plants.

Valorization of Corn Husk Waste for Textile Applications

ABSTRACT Agriculture biomass is a widely known renewable source that has a high possibility of recycling. The present investigation deals with the extraction, pre-treatment, dyeing, and characterization of natural fiber obtained from agricultural residues of corn husk. Water retted corn husk fibers were subjected to two steps of scouring and bleaching with hydrogen peroxide. The process effectively reduced non-cellulosic impurities, increased cellulose content to almost 79%, enhanced water absorption (431.5%), and increased fiber whiteness (54) with minimal impact on breaking tenacity (17.17 CN/tex). Natural dyeing was performed by using dye extracted from Sappan wood, and it was observed that fiber dyed without mordant exhibits a good color strength (K/S) of 13.21. Optimum dyeing conditions were determined by the response surface methodology, where K/S was kept as the main response. Modern spectroscopic characterization techniques were used for confirmatory analysis. The optimized recipe for natural dyeing is a 20% liquid dye concentration at 70°C for 1 hour, which achieved a K/S of 10.2–10.5 with adequate wash and light fastness properties in the range of 3–4 and 7–8, respectively. The current study will pave the way for the efficient textile application of this abundant but unnecessarily wasted biomass.

Investigation on Phoenix dactylifera/Calotropis procera Fibre-Reinforced Epoxy Hybrid Composites

This paper presents the investigations conducted on three types of fibre-reinforced epoxy-resin hybrid composites with different structures, manufactured using midrib long fibres of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and Calotropis procera fibres. The two types of fibres were formed into flat sheets, without adding other chemicals or resins, and employed as reinforcing layers in the structure of the multi-layered laminate composites. Three-layer and five-layer epoxy-reinforced laminates were manufactured from the sheets of date-palm fibres and Calotropis sheets bonded with laminar epoxy resin. Water resistance investigation and mechanical testing under tensile, bending and impact loads were conducted in the research in order to evaluate and compare the performance of the resulting composites. Emphasis was put on the effect of various factors, such as the type of reinforcement material and the number of plies in the laminate on the mechanical behavior of the composites. The interpretation of those results was supported by the stereo-microscopic investigation of the adhesion between the layers of the composites, and the vertical density profile (VDP), which showed the repartition of the density on the composite thickness depending on the layer material. The results of the mechanical performance of the composites showed lower values of tensile strength, tensile modulus of elasticity and impact resistance and an increase of water absorption (WA) and thickness swelling (TS) for the five-layer composites compared to the three-layer composites. Contrarily, the addition of Calotropis fibres improved the flexural strength and the flexural modulus of elasticity. The alkali treatment of the Calotropis fibres improved the mechanical performance of the composites compared to the ones made with untreated fibres, because of an apparent increase in cellulose content and free hydroxyl groups revealed by FTIR spectra.

Anomalous P-E Hysteresis Loops of Ferroelectric Nanocomposites Containing Nanocellulose and Hydrogen – Bonded Ferroelectric of Triglycine Sulfate Under Influence of Composition, Temperature and Moisture

To fill the gap of earlier works for the nanocomposite based on a ferroelectric of triglycine sulfate (TGS) and a dielectric inclusion of cellulose nanoparticles (CNP), the present study provides experimental results for investigating anomalous switching properties via analyzing the features of dielectric (P-E) hysteresis loops. Different dielectric content of CNP (5, 15, 30, 50, 70 wt.%) was chosen. The P-E loops were measured at temperatures placed at the same distances from the phase transition point for all compositions. Besides, the influence of humidity (RH = 30, 60, 80, 100 %) was also investigated. It was clarified that the increase in cellulose content and relative humidity caused the increase in coercive field, accompanying the transformation of hysteresis loops from saturated into unsaturated ones. The nature of these anomalies was proposed to be associated with the role of hydrogen bonds in the composite.

Biodegradation of poly(lactic acid)/regenerated cellulose nanocomposites prepared by the Pickering emulsion approach

Poly(lactic acid)/regenerated cellulose nanocomposites have been prepared by the Pickering emulsion approach. The composites contained 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0 wt% nanocellulose. Plates compression molded from the composites were degraded enzymatically by Proteinase K with the daily change of the degradation medium. The results confirmed the excellent catalyzing effect of Proteinase K. The enzymatic degradation catalyzed by Proteinase K is very fast, considerable amount of lactic acid forms even in one day. The daily change of the medium allows the complete degradation of composite samples within one week. Degradation rate determined in this way is an average value; the rates are different each day. The effect of nanocellulose on the rate of degradation is quite complex. Overall degradation rate first increases from around 0.5%/h for the neat PLA to a maximum value of 0.8%/h at 0.5 wt% RC content and then decreases with increasing cellulose content back to around 0.5%/h as the amount of RC increases from 0.5 to 3 wt%, because of increased crystallinity and the formation of a network from the cellulose particles, which hinder the penetration of enzyme molecules into areas of the specimen degraded already. Composite structure changes considerably with increasing regenerated cellulose content, larger aggregates form leading to accelerated degradation.

Cellulose in Foliage and Changes during Seasonal Leaf Development of Broadleaf and Conifer Species.

Stable isotope approaches are widely applied in plant science and many improvements made in the field focus on the analysis of specific components of plant tissues. Although technical developments have been very beneficial, sample collection and preparation are still very time and labor-consuming. The main objective of this study was to create a qualitative dataset of alpha-cellulose content of leaf tissues of arboreal species. We extracted alpha-cellulose from twelve species: Abies alba Mill., Acer pseudoplatanus L., Fagus sylvatica L., Larix decidua Mill., Picea abies (L.) Karst., Pinus sylvestris L., Quercus cerris L., Quercus petrea (Matt.) Liebl., Quercus pubescens Wild., Quercus robur L., Tilia platyphyllos Scop. and Ulmus glabra Huds. While these species show an increase in cellulose yield from bud break to full leaf development, the rates of increase in cellulose content and the duration of the juvenile phase vary greatly. Moreover, the veins display significantly higher alpha-cellulose content (4 to 11%) compared to blade tissues, which reflects their different structural and biochemical functions. A guide for the mass of sample material required to yield sufficient alpha-cellulose for a standard stable isotope analysis is presented. The additional benefits of the assessment of the mass of required sample material are reduced sample preparation time and its usefulness in preparing samples of limited availability (e.g., herbarium material, fossil samples).

Natural variation of DROT1 confers drought adaptation in upland rice

Upland rice is a distinct ecotype that grows in aerobic environments and tolerates drought stress. However, the genetic basis of its drought resistance is unclear. Here, using an integrative approach combining a genome-wide association study with analyses of introgression lines and transcriptomic profiles, we identify a gene, DROUGHT1 (DROT1), encoding a COBRA-like protein that confers drought resistance in rice. DROT1 is specifically expressed in vascular bundles and is directly repressed by ERF3 and activated by ERF71, both drought-responsive transcription factors. DROT1 improves drought resistance by adjusting cell wall structure by increasing cellulose content and maintaining cellulose crystallinity. A C-to-T single-nucleotide variation in the promoter increases DROT1 expression and drought resistance in upland rice. The potential elite haplotype of DROT1 in upland rice could originate in wild rice (O. rufipogon) and may be beneficial for breeding upland rice varieties.

Effects of Tytanit and Nitrogen on Cellulose and Hemicellulose Content of Festulolium braunii and on Its Digestibility

The aim of the experiment was to determine the effects of the foliar application of Tytanit, at the same time comparing it with the effects of mineral nitrogen, on the cellulose and hemicellulose content and its effect on Festulolium braunii digestibility. The experiment was founded in the spring of 2014 in the field of the University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce, Poland. The plant used in the experiment was the Felopa variety of Festulolium braunii. The effects of Tytanit foliar application at a concentration of 0.2% and 1% and of mineral nitrogen at a dose of 80 and 160 kg/ha were studied in the experiment. During its full use (2015–2017), Festulolium braunii was harvested three times. The content of cellulose and hemicellulose was determined by near-infrared reflection spectroscopy (NIRS) using the NIRFlex N-500. The higher dose of 1% Tytanit contributed to an increase in cellulose content of Festulolium braunii (334.8 g kg−1), at the same time decreasing hemicellulose content (175.0 g kg−1), lignification degree (7.1%), dry matter digestibility (59.71%), and total digestible nutrient content (52.99%).