Characterization of controlled aerobically retted linseed flax (Linum usitatisimum L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.) stems
| dc.contributor.author | Vahora, Tasneem | |
| dc.contributor.examiningcommittee | Rahman, Mashiur (Biosystems Engineering) | |
| dc.contributor.examiningcommittee | Duncan, Robert (Plant Science) | |
| dc.contributor.examiningcommittee | Annamalai, Manickavasagan (School of Engineering, University of Guelph) | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Morrison, Jason | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-06-23T16:57:38Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-06-23T16:57:38Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023-06-21 | |
| dc.date.submitted | 2023-06-21T16:17:47Z | en_US |
| dc.degree.discipline | Biosystems Engineering | en_US |
| dc.degree.level | Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | |
| dc.description.abstract | The study investigated bast fibres sources: linseed flax (Linum usitatisimum L.) (cultivar-sorrel) and canola (Brassica napus L.) (cultivar- 45H29). Microstructure was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray micro-computed tomography (XMT) while retting protocol effects were assessed through gravimetric analysis. Chemical composition prediction and plant material classification were carried out using spectroscopic data (near and mid-infrared). The SEM images revealed elementary fibres of varying sizes for the canola cultivars 45H29 and L241C and flax cultivar sorrel with a width of 20±6.63 µm (n=26), 30±4.97 µm (n=8), and 29±8.12 µm (n=133), respectively. The XMT scans provided solids volume of the outer layer, excluding air space for cultivars 45H29 and sorrel, which was 3.73% and 17.2%, respectively, with n=200 images per sample. Additionally, controlled aerobic retting was carried out on both plant materials using Bacillus subtilis, subsp. spizizenii (ATCC® 6633™) as an inoculant. The retting treatments included processed (P), processed without autoclaving (P-A), processed without salts (P-S), processed without aerobic retting (P-R), and processed with inoculation (P+I). For the whole portion of flax, the treatment P+I (n=12) resulted in a significant reduction (12.5 g/100g) in neutral detergent fibre (NDFp) compared to the unprocessed (UP, n=6). Conversely, the P-S (n=4) treatment significantly increased NDFp, with a 7.49 g/100g increase compared to the P (n=16) treatment. The processed treatments, especially P and P+I, also significantly decreased D-galacturonic acid (DGAp) compared to UP. For canola, reductions in NDFp and DGAp were observed in the whole portion. The P-S treatment (n=4) showed a significant decrease in NDFp (11.2 g/100g), while the P+I (n=12) in DGAp (1.14 g/100g) when compared with the UP samples. Furthermore, the prediction of chemical composition and classification of the processed samples using peak integration as features from near and mid-infrared spectroscopy were successful. The partial least square regression models based on 32 peak integrations from near-infrared (NIR) spectra demonstrated coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.886, 0.775, 0.91, 0.847 for predicting D-galacturonic acid, hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin, respectively. Similarly, the partial least squares discriminant analysis models for plant material classification had accuracy above 93% in classifying fibre versus shive portions and canola versus flax samples. | |
| dc.description.note | October 2023 | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (UMGF), International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship (IGSES), International Graduate Student Scholarship (IGSS), International Graduate Student Bursary (IGSB), Faculty of Graduate Studies Program Completion Scholarship, Graduate Enhancement of Tri-Council Stipends (GETS), MITACS Accelerate Internship Funding | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1993/37389 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.rights | open access | en_US |
| dc.subject | Linseed flax, Canola, Aerobic retting, Fibers, Composition | |
| dc.title | Characterization of controlled aerobically retted linseed flax (Linum usitatisimum L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.) stems | |
| dc.type | doctoral thesis | en_US |
| local.subject.manitoba | no | |
| oaire.awardNumber | RGPIN-2015-03828 | |
| oaire.awardTitle | Biomaterial Analysis for Flax Biofiber: from Harvest to Product | |
| oaire.awardURI | https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=589408 | |
| project.funder.identifier | https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000038 | |
| project.funder.name | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada |