Total hemicelluloses from Hordeum vulgare plants at different stages of maturity

The changes in the composition of the total hemicelluloses of leaf and stem tissues of field-grown barley plants have been examined at different stages of maturation. In each plant the proportion of xylose residues in the total hemicellulose increases with tissue maturity, that of galactose varies little, and the proportions of arabinose, glucose and uronic acid residues decrease. The ratio of β(1 → 3) to β(1 → 4) linkages in the β-glucans decreases with tissue maturity and there is a decrease in the $\text{DP}$_n of these β-glucans.