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Cellulose and Lignin Contents are Negatively Correlated with Starch Accumulation, and Their Correlation Characteristics Vary Across Cassava Varieties

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Abstract

Cassava storage roots contain large amounts of starch and low amounts of cellulose and lignin. However, the relationship between lignification with cellulose and starch accumulation during storage root development is not well understood. In the present study, the dynamic changes in starch, lignin, and cellulose contents as well as in root diameter, enzyme activities, and histochemical staining in the storage roots of six cassava varieties at different growth stages were assessed. The results revealed a negative correlation between the biosynthetic carbon allocation of starch and lignin (r =  − 0.780, p < 0.0001) and that of starch and cellulose (r =  − 0.873, p < 0.0001). Early and rapid formation of vascular tissue resulted in an increase in starch content in the six varieties and a transition of carbon flow from xylem development to starch formation at 100 days after planting was identified. Vascular vessels, cellulose, and starch exhibited a dynamic balance independent of cassava varieties. A more rapid decline in starch content was observed with increasing cellulose and lignin contents in high-starch varieties than that in low-starch varieties. This indicated that the optimal dynamic transition between structural and storage components during root development facilitates the formation of large amounts of starch in the parenchymal tissue. The fine regulation of lignification in cassava storage roots provides a potential strategy for breeding starch-rich cassava varieties.

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Abbreviations

DAP:

Days after planting

CTAB:

Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

UDPG:

Uridine diphosphate glucose

UGPase:

UDPG pyrophosphorylase

CAD:

Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase

C4H:

Cinnamate 4-hydroxylase

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

PCA:

Principal component analysis

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Professor Wen-Quan Wang of the Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, for kindly providing the cassava varieties. This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32160429), the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation (2021GXNSFDA196009, 2015GXNSFAA139078), and the State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources (SKLCUSA-a202003).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, 100 Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China

    **liang Sun, Kedong Hui, Zhiyuan Guo, Youzhi Li & **anwei Fan

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  1. **liang Sun
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  2. Kedong Hui
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  3. Zhiyuan Guo
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Contributions

FXW conceived and supervised the study and revised the manuscript. SJL performed all experiments and prepared the manuscript. HKD and GZY performed the field experiments. LYZ supervised the project and analyzed the PCA data. All authors have reviewed the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to **anwei Fan.

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Sun, J., Hui, K., Guo, Z. et al. Cellulose and Lignin Contents are Negatively Correlated with Starch Accumulation, and Their Correlation Characteristics Vary Across Cassava Varieties. J Plant Growth Regul 42, 658–669 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-022-10573-w

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