VARIATION OF MICROFIBRIL ANGLE AND DENSITY IN MOSO BAMBOO (<em>PHYLLOSTACHYS</em> <em>PUBESCENS</em>)

Abstract

WANG XQ, LI XZ & REN HQ. 2010. Variation of microfibril angle and density in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens). The variation patterns of microfibril angle (MFA) and air-dry density with respect to age as well as to different vertical and horizontal positions within the culm were investigated in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) of different ages grown in south-eastern China. X-ray diffraction was used to determine the MFA of the culms. Although the analysis of variance indicated that age, height location as well as horizontal layer had significant effects on MFA, the mean MFA varied slightly from 8.17° to 10.51°, regardless of age or positions within the culm, with a coefficient of variation of only 6.7%. The air-dry density varied considerably with age and also within the culm, with the mean values ranging from 0.41 to 1.14 g cm^-3. The air-dry density increased substantially during the initial four years of growth but was almost constant at older ages. The outer layers of the culm had significantly higher density than the inner layers and the top portion of the culm showed generally higher density than the lower portions.