The Hemicelluloses in Plants

In the following discussion, comparisons between quantitative values are made within sets of values obtained in the same way. Other, and comparably significant, values and similar conclusions may have been obtained by study of different sets of values established in other ways on the same or different grasses. Little, or no, reliance can be placed on sets of values, or on comparisons between otherwise isolated values, where individually, they are dependent on different terminologies or methodologies. 

Quantitative values for total hemicelluloses, and structural information on hemicelluloses, may be of practical use when the investigator seeks to discover correlations between the hemicellulosic composition of a plantstuff, or of a material derived from it, and some quality or property it is believed to affect. There have been many investigations of possible correlations between hemicellulosic composition and the milling properties of cereals,106,228 and the quality of flours,229 doughs,230 and baked products.231 Numerous applied studies on the 

The hemicellulosic composition of plants of any one genetic strain changes with growth and maturation.31,95,137 157,178 l88,236 239 At any one 

In spite of these difficulties, many quantitative studies on sets of values reveal trends in the change of hemicellulosic composition related mainly to a particular factor. A study of, for example, the effect of growth on hemicellulosic composition must, however, yield quantitative values that are affected by uncontrolled environmental influences throughout the period of growth. A similar remark would relate to most studies designed to investigate correlations between any other factor or influence on hemicellulosic composition. 

In the discussion that follows, the term mature will be used in the 

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