Authors:C L Sharma . M Sharma . K Chongloi
Abstract:The present study was carried out on three Schizostachyum species namely S. dulloa, S. fuschianum and S. polymorphum to evaluate the anatomical and physical characteristics and their variation across and along the culms. The vascular bundles were well developed and larger in size in middle zone at all height positions except top position of S. polymorphum. All the selected species had Type I vascular bundles in inner zone. Type II and Type III vascular bundles in S. dulloa and S. polymorphum and Type I and Type II vascular bundles in S. fuschianum were present in middle zone at bottom position. The number of vascular bundles increased but vascular bundle size (R/T ratio) decreased both along and across the culms in all the species. There was increase in fibre and parenchyma percentage along the culm height. Whereas, the vessel percentage did not show much variation. The dimensions of fibre, vessel and parenchyma characteristics (except fibre length and fibre diameter) decreased and most of them exhibited non-significant variation along and across the culms in all the species. Among physical characteristics, moisture content and shrinkage in culm wall thickness decreased along the culm height. While, there was increase in specific gravity and shrinkage in culm diameter. The results obtained from present study reveals that middle zone at bottom and middle positions is best for identification of Schizostachyum species. It will also be helpful to increase the utiliza tion of these species for various end products.
Keywords:Culm height, Middle zone, Physical characteristics, Schizostachyum species, Tissue proportion