Screening of superior fiber-quality-traits among wild accessions of Bambusa balcooa: efficient and non-invasive evaluation of fiber developmental stages

• The search for alternative fiber resources is receiving worldwide attention for the potential role of these fibers in climate and forest restoration. Among bamboos, Bambusa balcooa is generally preferred for industrial use due to its rapid growth, excellent flexibility and tensile strength. The aim of this study is to establish a non-invasive and efficient method of screening superior fiber quality from the wild gene pool of B. balcooa. • Anatomical features of B. balcooa internodes were revealed by light microscopy. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to study fiber developmental stages in emerging branches using the intrinsic fluorescence properties of lignin and chlorophyll. Physical properties of B. balcooa fibers from different gene pools were studied, and biochemical estimations of lignin and cellulose contents were performed. CLSM-based semi-quantitative in situ estimations of cellulose and lignin contents in fiber bundles were performed using orthochromatic Congo red (CR) and acridine orange (AO) labeling, respectively. • Fibers isolated from representative accessions of locations 3 and 4 showed the highest cellulose contents and superior physical properties. The results obtained from biochemical analyses of cellulose and lignin contents of fiber bundles among the accessions correlate significantly with CR and AO fluorescence values using non-invasive methods. A CLSM-based study demonstrated the possibility of differentiating stages of fiber development with autofluorescent markers of lignin and lignin precursors that would help to define stages of fiber development and maturation in bamboo effectively, which is a prerequisite for understanding the mechanism of fiber development at the molecular level in bamboo. • A CLSM-based cellulose and lignin assay is a non-invasive method, exploited for the first time for genetic diversity screening in a wild gene pool. This protocol would also be useful for rapid resource screening for various commercial purposes

O pH e a temperatura na produção de biogás a partir de casca de arroz Effect of ph and temperature on biogas production from rice hulls

Cascas de arroz foram estudadas para exame do seu potencial na produção de bíogás na Seção de Fitoquímica. O material foi tratado previamente com 5, 10 e 15% de NaoH p/p e incubado nos níveis de 40 e 60º C de temperatura. Os resultados mostraram que casca de arroz não foi bom material para produzir metano e que a produção de gases aumentou com a temperatura e a concentração de álcali até 10%.<br>Rica hulls were studied in order to examine their potential for biogas production. The material was previously treated with 5, 10 and 15% NaOH W/W and incubated at temperatures of 40 and 60º C. Results showed that rice hulls were not good for methane production, but the total production of gases increased with temperatura and alcali concentration up to 10%