Litter decomposition of three lignin-deficient mutants of Sorghum bicolor during spring thaw

Decomposition of plant litter during the freeze-thaw season has recently gained attention as having a significant role in nutrient cycling in many cold ecosystems. However, few studies have examined decomposition of crop remnants during the freeze-thaw season in an agronomic setting when microbial activity is presumably low. We examined decomposition of four cultivars of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) leaves in a field in Southern Minnesota, USA using the litterbag method. Three of the four cultivars we examined expressed the brown midrib (bmr) mutation which have altered/reduced levels of lignin in their secondary cell walls compared to the wild-type (WT). Litter was buried in the fall and harvested during the spring thaw. After 160 d the bmr mutants lost 57-62% of their initial mass, compared to 51% in the WT. Mass loss agreed with presumed initial litter quality, as the bmr litter had higher initial N, and holocellulose:lignin and lower lignin, C:N and lignin:N values compared to the WT. The increased decomposition of the bmr cultivars appears to be related to increased loss of hemicellulose and holocellulose (cellulose+hemicellulose) or higher initial N concentrations. Alterations in cell-wall deposition in the bmr cultivars may increase accessibility of microbial cell-wall degrading enzymes that accelerate mass loss. Our results demonstrate that alterations in initial lignin chemistry may influence decomposition of sorghum litter in an agronomic setting.