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The use of bast fibers as hemp is increasing in natural fiber composites. To go deeper into the structure of the bast fibers in hemp and the effect of cultivation practices, we have studied lignin distribution and other cell wall components using monoclonal antibodies against lignin and specific probes for non-cellulosic polysaccharides and arabinogalactan proteins.

As part of a long-standing collaboration with Dr Yoshinaga from University of Kyoto, we have shown for the first time that primary and secondary fibers display very similar distribution of lignin, non-cellulosic cell wall components. In addition to glucomannan, a very small amount of 8-5’ linked lignin structure was detected in the thick G layer which contrasts with the pattern of the xylem secondary walls rich in lignin and xylan. Growing hemp with irrigation enhances the formation of secondary walls in contrast to cultivation at high sowing density. However, no histochemical or immunological differences were observed between fibers of hemp cultivated under these contrasted growing conditions.

Read: Kiyoto S, Yoshinaga A, Fernandez-Tendero E, Day A, Chabbert B, Takabe K*. Distribution of Lignin, Hemicellulose, and Arabinogalactan Protein in Hemp Phloem Fibers. Microscopy and Microanalysis 2018, 24, 442-452

Contact: Dr Brigitte Chabbert, brigitte.chabbert@inra.fr