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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Fiber Bioscience Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #341271
Title: Comparison and validation of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic methods for monitoring secondary cell wall cellulose from cotton fibers

Author
item Kim, Hee-Jin
item Liu, Yongliang
item French, Alfred - Al
item LEE, CHRISTOPHER - Pennsylvania State University
item KIM, SEONG - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Cellulose
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/27/2017
Publication Date: 1/26/2018
Citation: Kim, H.J., Liu, Y., French, A.D., Lee, C.M., Kim, S.H. 2018. Comparison and validation of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic methods for monitoring secondary cell wall cellulose from cotton fibers. Cellulose. 25:49-64.

Interpretive Summary: Secondary cell wall (SCW) of cotton fibers affects thickness, strength and economic value of cotton. It has been difficult for cotton scientists to measure degree of SCW development from cotton fibers with length, laborious, and invasive chemical methods. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy with a conventional principal component analysis (PCA) can detect SCW cellulose from cotton fiber in qualitative way. To quantitatively measure the SCW development from cotton fibers, we tested a new IR algorithm, and validated that the algorithm enable to detect subtle variations of SCW cellulose development in a quantitative, rapid, and non-invasive way. The algorithm will help scientists monitoring the progress of secondary wall cellulose and crystallinity during cotton fiber development, and determining genetic and environmental effects on cellulose biosynthesis.

Technical Abstract: The amount of secondary cell wall (SCW) cellulose in the fiber affects the quality and commercial value of cotton. Accurate assessments of SCW cellulose are essential for improving cotton fibers. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy enables distinguishing SCW from other cell wall components in a rapid and non-invasive way, and has been used for monitoring SCW development in model plants. Recently, several FT-IR methods have been proposed for monitoring cotton fiber development. However, they are rarely utilized for assessing SCW cellulose from cotton fiber due to limited validation with various cotton species grown in different conditions. Thus, we compared and validated three FT-IR methods including two previously proposed methods analyzing entire spectra or specific bands as well as a new method analyzing FT-IR spectral regions corresponding to cellulose with various cotton fibers grown in planta and in vitro. Comparisons of the FT-IR methods with reference methods showed that the two FT-IR methods analyzing the entire spectra or cellulose regions by principal component analysis monitored SCW qualitatively, whereas the FT-IR method analyzing specific bands (708, 730, and 800 cm-1) by a simple algorithm allowed the monitoring of SCW cellulose levels quantitatively. The quantitative FT-IR method is a potential substitute for lengthy and laborious chemical assays for monitoring SCW cellulose levels from cotton fibers, and it can be used for a better understanding of cotton fiber SCW development and as part of the quality assessment tools used to guide choices for improving fiber quality.