pernatant was removed to a fresh tube. Glucose, xylose and arabinose content quantified on a Jasco HPLC system (Jasco Ltd, Great Dunmow, Essex, UK). Samples were prepared by combing 250 μL of extract with 750 μL of 5 m[m]{.smallcaps} H~2~SO~4~, containing 5 m[m]{.smallcaps} crotonic acid as an internal standard. Sugars were separated on a Rezex ROA‐Organic Acid (150 × 7.8 mm) column with a mobile phase of 5 μ[m]{.smallcaps} H~2~SO~4~ at 0.6 mL min^−1^. Quantification was based on standard curves prepared using sugar standards.

Saccharification potential {#gcbb12419-sec-0009}
--------------------------

Saccharification potential was estimated by measuring enzymatic digestibility of cell wall polysaccharides from cell wall‐enriched fractions. Prior to enzymatic hydrolysis, samples were subjected to a mild acid pretreatment. Approximately 50 mg (actual weight recorded) of cell wall‐enriched fractions was suspended in 1.6 mL of 1.5% sulphuric acid (w/w) in a screwcap microfuge tube and subsequently autoclaved at 121 °C for 20 min. Pretreated samples were neutralized by the addition of 28 mg of calcium carbonate. An enzyme cocktail, comprised of Accellerase 1500 and Accellerase XY (kindly supplied by DuPont, USA) and Depol 740 L (a ferulic acid esterase; kindly supplied by Biocatalysts Ltd., Cardiff, UK), was made up in 0.1‐[m]{.smallcaps} sodium citrate buffer pH 4.8 at the manufacturers' recommended application rates. Enzymatic hydrolysis was carried out by the addition of 300 *μ*L of the enzyme cocktail to each tube with incubation for 72 h at 50 °C. After this period, enzymes were inactivated by incubation for 10 min at 80 °C. Enzyme digests were analysed for glucose, xylose and arabinose on the Jasco HPLC system as described above with the exception that samples were prepared by adding a volume of 50 μL of sample to 950 μL of a solution of 5 m[m]{.smallcaps} H~2~SO~4~ with 5 m[m]{.smallcaps} crotonic acid. The extent of hydrolysis was estimated as a percentage of the