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Topochemical investigations of cell walls in developing xylem of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)

  • Peter Prislan , Gerald Koch , Katarina Čufar , Jožica Gričar and Uwe Schmitt
Published/Copyright: May 7, 2009
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Holzforschung
From the journal Volume 63 Issue 4

Abstract

Formation and lignification of xylem cells in mature beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) trees growing in a forest site in Slovenia (46° N, 14°40′ E, 400 m a.s.l.) were studied on the cellular and subcellular level. Samples containing the cambial zone and developing xylem were taken from six beech trees every week throughout the 2006 vegetation period. Cell wall thickening and lignification in individual cell wall layers and cell types were determined by light microscopy, cellular UV-microspectrophotometry and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Cell division started between the 18th and the 24th of April 2006. Lignification began in the newly formed xylem tissue on the 2nd of May. After 1 month, the developing earlywood portion contained fully differentiated vessels with completed wall deposition and lignification, and differentiated fibres and axial parenchyma became visible after 2 months. At the end of cambial cell division on the 9th August, the differentiation of the most recently formed fibres in the terminal zone of the growth ring continued for approximately 4 weeks. This indicates that the process of lignification in earlywood is slower than in latewood. The high temporal resolution of the investigated processes and the combination of the above-mentioned microscopic techniques provides a detailed insight into the process of cell wall thickening and lignification of woody tissue in beech.


Corresponding author. Department of Wood Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Rožna dolina, Cesta VIII/34, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Phone: +386-1-423-1161 Fax: +386-1-423-5035

Received: 2008-11-14
Accepted: 2009-2-19
Published Online: 2009-05-07
Published Online: 2009-05-07
Published in Print: 2009-07-01

©2009 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York

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  16. Topochemical investigations of cell walls in developing xylem of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)
  17. Effects of substrate on laboratory spalting of sugar maple
  18. Short Notes
  19. Apigenin derivatives from Paulownia tomentosa Steud. var. tomentosa stem barks
  20. Forming limits for the bulk forming of solid wood
  21. Meetings
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