Composition and Structure of Cell Wall Polysaccharides in Forages

This chapter discusses the methods of structural analysis of forage cell wall polysaccharides and polysaccharide structures. It presents the composition of nonstarch polysaccharides in different forages and forage fractions. In plant structures like the cell wall, nonstarch polysaccharides, together with other components, are organized in complex three dimensional structures that are neither uniform nor completely described. For structural analysis of cell wall polysaccharides, it is often necessary to isolate cell wall materials. Growing and parenchymatous tissues generally contain large amounts of intracellular compounds such as nucleic acids, phenols, lipids, proteins, and reserve polysaccharides as well as active cell wall degrading enzymes. Cereal straw, containing predominantly secondary cell walls, is rigid and resistant to microbial degradation. The barley fractions contained more glucose residues but less Klason lignin compared to the corresponding wheat fraction.