Plant fibers are hydrophilic in nature due to attraction/interaction between the hydroxyl
groups of fiber components and water molecules. The hydrophilic nature of plant fibers often …

Populus is presented as a model system for the study of wood formation (xylogenesis). The
formation of wood (secondary xylem) is an ordered developmental process involving cell …

The alteration of the global nitrogen (N) cycle is creating severe environmental impacts. This
paper analyses the increasing importance of the international trade of food and feed in the …

Brazil, with 185 million tons of solid residues generation per harvest, is the largest producer
of sugarcane in the world. The utilization of this biomass ranges from the extraction of …

Bast fibres of, for example, flax and hemp are used as raw materials of thermal insulations.
However, they have only a minor share in the market. The aim of this paper was to evaluate …

Three main types of calcium oxalate crystal occur in monocotyledons: raphides, styloids and
druses, although intermediates are sometimes recorded. The presence or absence of the …

Due to the combination of high mechanical performances and plant-based origin, flax fibers
are interesting reinforcement for environmentally friendly composite materials. An increasing …

The ingestion of dietary fibre has been correlated with the prevention of many health‐
threatening diseases and cancers. Plant cell walls are the major source of dietary fibre and …

Stems and branches of angiosperm trees form tension wood (TW) when exposed to a
gravitational stimulus. One of the main characteristics of TW, which distinguishes it from …

Large areas of the tropics and subtropics are too arid or degraded to support food crops, but
Agave species may be suitable for biofuel production in these regions. We review the …