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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #122042
Title: THE ROLE OF CALCIUM IN THE RETTING OF FLAX STRAW

Author
item ADAMSEN, ANDERS - APSA MILJOE
item Akin, Danny

Submitted to: European Cost
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Calcium is an important element of middle lamella in plant cells where it stabilizes pectins by cross-linking adjacent pectate chains. In flax stems, the major part of calcium is located in the cortex but a strategic fraction is located in and between the fiber bundles. Successful retting requires a partial break-down of the calcium pectate by chemical and/or enzymes. In order to obtain a better understanding of this system, we hav studied the potentials of several types of chelator in the retting of flax stems. We will present this work and discuss the results.