Antiseptic Aspects in Internode Cavities of Bamboo Plants

Abstract

The internode cavities of bamboo were utilized as storage chambers for keeping fruit fresh during the Ming dynasty in China. It was reported that fruits could be kept for a long time due to the antiseptic action in the internode cavities. In order to confirm this, we compared the quality of fresh fruits stored in the internode cavities of bamboo with that in plastic chambers as a control and investigated the trace gas component in the internode cavities. The experiments were conducted with Phyllostachys heterocycla as a bamboo species and used sweet peppers as the fresh fruit. The concentrations of O₂ and CO₂, temperature and relative humidity in the internode cavities of bamboo were similar to those in the plastic chambers during the experiment. Hydrocarbons including C₈H₁₄O and C₁₃H₂₂O with antiseptic action were detected as trace gases in the internode cavities of bamboo. Surface color change, injury damage and weight loss of fruits were more significant in the plastic chambers than in the internode cavities of bamboo. It was comfirmed that the fruits of sweet pepper can be kept for a longer time in the internode cavities than in the plastic chambers.