Blackening of Diospyros genus xylem in connection with boron content |
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Authors: | Kazuya Minato Tamaki Morita |
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Institution: | (1) Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto Prefectural University, Shimogamo Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8522, Japan |
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Abstract: | The amount of boron contained in the xylem of Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) and ebony (Diospyros ebenum Koen) was determined by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectrometry and a modified curcumin–acetic acid method.
The boron content was compared between the heartwood and sapwood of ebony as well as between a blackened portion (“kurogaki”)
and normal portion of Japanese persimmon. The kurogaki contained a higher level of boron than the normal portion of the same
individual, although the boron content varied among individuals. Moreover, the boron content of the heartwood of ebony was
much higher than that of the sapwood. These results suggest the participation of boron in the blackening of Japanese persimmon.
Because both kurogaki and heartwood of ebony are durable to fungal attack, the blackening of Diospyros genus appears to be related to the formation of defensive substances in which boron seems to take part. The convenient curcumin–acetic
acid method is an alternative to the ICP method with comparable accuracy. |
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Keywords: | Boron Curcumin method Ebony ICP analysis Japanese persimmon |
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