Lignin is an aromatic heteropolymer of complex structure, synthesized by all plants and mainly deposited in the secondary cell walls. It is generated from the oxidative polymerization of monolignols, namely p-coumaryl, coniferyl, and sinapyl alcohols, and makes the wall rigid and hydrophobic, allowing transport of water and solutes through the vascular system. The relative proportion of each monomeric units varies within species, tissues such as leaf, root and stem, and maturity phase of crop plants. In addition to its structural role in the vascular tissues, lignin also protects plant against biotic stresses.
Lakshmi K.*
Division of Crop Improvement, ICAR- Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (641 007), India
Sheelamary S.
Lakshmi, K., Sheelamary, S., 2021. Second Most Abundant Organic Polymer on Planet: Lignin. Biotica Research Today 3(11), 1049-1052.
Dorairaj, D., Ismail, M.R., Sinniah, U.R., Tan, K.B., 2017. Influence of silicon on growth, yield, and lodging resistance of MR219, a lowland rice of Malaysia. J. Plant Nutr. 40(8). doi: 10.1080/01904167.2016.1264420.
Liang, M., Davis, E., Gardner, D., Cai, X., Wu, Y., 2006. Involvement of AtLAC15 in lignin synthesis in seeds and in root elongation of Arabidopsis. Planta. 224, 1185-1196. doi: 10.1007/s00425-006-0300-6.
Payen, A., 1838. Mémoire sur la Composition du TissuPropre des Plantes et du Ligneaux, Compt. Ren-dus 7, 1052-1056.
Wang, J., Wang, C., Zhu, M., Yu, Y., Zhang, Y., Wei, Z., 2008. Generation and characterization of transgenic poplar plants overexpressing a cotton laccase gene. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Culture 93, 303-310. doi: 10.1007/s11240-008-9377-x.