Total hemicelluloses from wheat at different stages of growth

The changes in total hemicellulose composition of leaf and stem tissues of field-grown wheat plants have been examined. In each plant tissue the percentage of xylose in the total hemicellulose increases with increasing plant maturity, that of galactose varies little and those of L-arabinose, D-glucose, and uronic acid decrease. There is a markedly higher proportion of D-glucopyranuronosyl than of 4-O-methyl-D-glucopyranuronosyl residues in leaf and stem tissues at all stages of maturity. The ratio of β(1 → 3) to β(1 → 4) linkages in the β-glucans, and the DP of these β-glucans decrease concommitantly with tissue maturity.