Phenolic Acids as Guaiacyl and Coumaryl Lignins in Cell Walls of Forages and Tree Leaves

The lignins of some range grasses, range legumes and fodder tree leaves present in their cell walls have been oxidised with alkaline nitrobenzene. On degradation guaiacyl Hgnins yielded ferulic acid (FA), while coumaryl lignins yielded o-Coumaric acid (o-CA) and p-Coumaric acids (p-CA.) The forages studied contained these phenolic acids (PA) 8.7-S2.7 mg/g of cell wall at three different stages of growth. Generally, all forage lignins mainly yielded ferulic acid. Range grasses and fodder tree leaves also contained p-CA in high levels while range legumes contained p-CA in lower quantity. The levels of these phenolic acids were correlated (p<0.01) with the lignin content.