The effect of saponification, reduction and mild acid hydrolysis on the cell walls and cellulase‐treated cell walls of Lolium perenne

Cell wall material from the mature stems of perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne ) was hydrolysed with a commercial cellulase preparation. The residual insoluble material was fractionated by treatment with sodium hydroxide, sodium borohydride and mild trifluoroacetic acid and the carbohydrate and phenolic composition of the resultant fractions were compared with those of the original cell wall material. The susceptibility of the cell wall components to solubilisation by these treatments was found to depend more on their association with each other than on their intrinsic properties. These observations are discussed in relation to the concept of the secondary cell walls of plants as networks of cellulose microfibrils embedded in a ligno‐hemicellulose matrix.