Development of Soft Rot Decay in the Bamboo Sinobambusa Tootsik

Authors:
  • RMR.J. Murphy
    R.J. Murphy
  • KAK.L. Alvin
    K.L. Alvin
  • YTY·f. Tan
    Y·f. Tan
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Abstract
The development of decay cavities caused by growth of the soft rot fungus Chaetomium globosum Kunze in the fibre cell walls of Sinobambusa tootsik (Makino) Makino ex Nakai was studied in culms of two different ages. Soft rot attack was found only in the cell walls of fibres; parenchyma and vessel elements remained unattacked. The extent of soft rot and cavity morphology were influenced by the position of the fibre bundles in the culm wall, culm age and the degree of lignification of individual fibres. Decay was greatest in the walls of those fibres which matured late in the course of culm development and in which the wall contained zones of low lignin content. It was least in the early maturing, uniformly lignified fibres and in very immature, thin-walled fibres. The results are discussed in relation to developmental anatomy and the reported ultrastructure of bamboo fibre walls.