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Silicon variation and phytolith morphology in different organs of Dendrocalamus brandisii (Munro) Kurz (Bambusoideae)

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Abstract

Silicon is an essential element for the growth and development of bamboo plants that significantly affects the biochemical and physical properties for industrialized bamboo utilization. Silicon is biomineralized as diverse forms of phytoliths in the bamboo organs. We investigated the silicon variation and phytolith morphology in different organs of Dendrocalamus brandisii (Munro) Kurz. The silicon content in D. brandisii (Munro) Kurz varies and increases in the order of leaf > sheath > branch > culm > shoot > root. The phytolith morphotypes and presence frequency in different D. brandisii organs varied closely interrelated with the cell structure and organ functions. Amorphous silicon deposition and few varieties and numbers of phytolith were found in D. brandisii root and shoots. Rich distribution of the saddle and dumb-bell phytoliths was found in all organs except the root and mature culm and branch. More elongate and rectangular phytoliths were found in mature culm and branch. Round and elliptical phytoliths might be firstly formed followed by dumb-bell and saddle phytoliths. Phytolith sizes increased with increasing culm, branch and leaf age, but did not demonstrate a specific trend with culm height. The result could contribute to enriching phytolith morphology in Gramineae and provide theoretical basis and references for plant taxonomy and large-scale bamboo industrial processing and utilization.

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Acknowledgements

This work was jointly supported by Yunnan Provincial Joint Special Project for Basic Research in Agriculture (No. 2017FG001-092); Scientific Research Start-up Fund Project of Southwest Forestry University (No. 111817); National Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31460169, 31560196, 31800506).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, 650224, Yunnan, People’s Republic of China

    Hui Zhan, Li Juan, Niu Zhao-hui, Mao-biao Li, Chang-ming Wang & Shu-guang Wang

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  1. Hui Zhan
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  2. Li Juan
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  3. Niu Zhao-hui
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  4. Mao-biao Li
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  5. Chang-ming Wang
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  6. Shu-guang Wang
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Contributions

HZ was involved in designing the experiment, running the data analysis and writing the paper. LJ performed data gathering and comments on manuscript. ZN contributed to data gathering designed the experiment. ML performed revising and comments on manuscript. CW was involved in data gathering and comments on manuscript. SW designed the experiment, coordinated and supervised the research work and revised the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Chang-ming Wang or Shu-guang Wang.

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Zhan, H., Juan, L., Zhao-hui, N. et al. Silicon variation and phytolith morphology in different organs of Dendrocalamus brandisii (Munro) Kurz (Bambusoideae). Braz. J. Bot 42, 529–541 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-019-00554-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-019-00554-x

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