The researchers found that using irradiation before breaking down plant material can help produce high amounts of sugars. They tested two methods to break down the plant material and found that the irradiation step allowed for higher amounts of material to be used. They were able to get a high concentration of xylose and glucose from the plant material, with the glucose levels being particularly high. This study shows that using irradiation before breaking down plant material can lead to a more efficient process for getting sugars from plants.