Using Synchrotron Transmission FTIR Microspectroscopy as a Rapid, Direct, and Nondestructive Analytical Technique To Reveal Molecular Microstructural−Chemical Features within Tissue in Grain Barley

The objective of this study was to use synchrotron transmission FTIR microspectroscopy as a rapid, direct, and nondestructive analytical technique to reveal molecular microstructural−chemical features within tissue in grain barley. The results showed that synchrotron transmission FTIR microspectroscopy could provide spectral, chemical, and functional group characteristics of grain barley tissue at ultrahigh spatial resolutions. The spatially localized structural−chemical distributions of biological components (lignin, cellulose, protein, lipid, and carbohydrates) and biological component ratios could be imaged. Such information on molecular microstructural−chemical features within the tissue can be used for plant breeding programs for selecting superior varieties of barley for special purposes and for prediction of grain barley quality and nutritive value for humans and animals. Keywords: Synchrotron; transmission infrared microspectroscopy; localized chemical analysis and imaging; molecular microstructure; barley tissue