Structural characterization of stalk lignin from banana plant

Dioxane lignins from two fractions of banana plant ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ stalk (floral stalk (DLFS) and rachis (DLR)) were structurally characterized by a set of spectroscopic (Ultraviolet (UV), FTIR, solid- and liquid-state NMR) and chemical degradation (permanganate (PO) and nitrobenzene oxidation (NO)) techniques. Despite both lignins are of HGS-type, strong structural differences were observed between them. Thus, DLFS showed almost twice the abundance of H and G units and almost half of the abundance of S units when compared to DLR. DLR possessed significantly higher amount of β-O-4′ structures (0.32/C6 against 0.12/C6) and the molecular weight (5400 Da against 3750 Da) than those of DLFS. About 72% of the condensed structures in DLFS are of β-5 and 5–5′ types, whereas 4-O-5′-diaryl ether structures were the most abundant condensed structures in DLR. Most of H units in both lignins are terminal phenolic coumarates linked to lignin substructures by ester bonds. Both lignins are structurally associated with suberin-like components in cell wall tissues. Structural features of stalk lignin were discussed in terms of possible restrictions for the kraft pulping of integral stem material.