Potassium distribution in black heartwood of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) I: Localization in axial parenchyma cells

This is the first report to ascertain potassium location in black heartwood of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica). The objective of this study was to understand the distribution of potassium in sugi black heartwood in connection with anatomical morphology. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDXA) was used to investigate the distribution of inorganic elements, especially potassium. In black heartwood, potassium was detected in all tissues (tracheids, ray parenchyma, and axial parenchyma), but its concentrations were different in each xylem tissue. Potassium was particularly accumulated in the droplets in axial parenchyma cells. In addition, calcium was also detected in all tissues. Phosphorus sometimes existed in the granules in ray parenchyma cells. From optical microscopy, the axial parenchyma cells were observed to be arranged in a tangential direction on transverse section and the droplets in these cells were distributed in areas of high ash and green moisture content. For red heartwood, potassium detected by SEM-EDXA was far lower in all tissues than in the black heartwood, while the trend for calcium was the converse. Potassium in axial parenchyma cells was more abundant in black heartwood than in typical pale red heartwood.