Abstract
We conducted a glasshouse mesocosm study that combined
13C isotope techniques with wild-type and transgenic aspen (
Populus tremuloides) in order to examine how altered lignin biosynthesis affects plant production and soil carbon formation. Our transgenic aspen lines expressed low stem lignin concentration but normal cellulose concentration, low lignin stem concentration with high cellulose concentration or an increased stem syringyl to guaiacyl lignin ratio.
Keywords
carbon cycling,
leaf area,
lignin,
photosynthesis,
plant production,
Populus,
tissue quality,
transgenic aspen
Citation
Hancock, Jessica E.; Loya, Wendy M.; Giardina, Christian P.; Li, Laigeng; Chiang, Vincent L.; Pregitzer, Kurt S. 2007. Plant growth, biomass partitioning and soil carbon formation in response to altered lignin biosynthesis in
Populus tremuloides. New Phytologist. 173: 732-742.