Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) has high growth and expanding abilities with the shoot growth rate up to 15-20 m height only for 1-2 months and the annual expanding speed at 1.0-3.0 m. Although many ecological studies on bamboo have been reported, a few studies on the growth mechanisms from a viewpoint of nutrient dynamics have been available. The purpose of this study is to identify the nutrient distribution in each organ of moso bamboo, such as culm, leaves, shoot, subterranean stems and roots, through an analysis of elemental concentration.

Each organs of moso bamboo were collected in three bamboo forests in Aichi on Dec 2009. Bamboo shoots and growing points of subterranean stems were samples on Apr and Jul, respectively, in 2010. A bamboo shoot was divided into 17 parts. We determined their elemental concentrations by gravimetry for Si and ICP-AES for the other elements after wet digestion.

Silicon concentration in leaves was the highest among all organs of bamboo. Concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, P, S, Cu in a bamboo shoot were higher in younger parts. Especially, the distribution of boron was characteristic. It was detected in particular parts such as leaves, roots, growing parts of subterranean stems and bamboo shoots, and not detect in culm. This result indicates that boron has a specific physiological function in bamboo.