ANALYSIS OF THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND MORPHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF BANANA PSEUDO-STEM

Abstract

An analysis of the chemical composition and anatomical structure of banana pseudo-stem was carried out using Light Microscopy (LM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM). The chemical analysis indicated there is a high holocellulose content and low lignin content in banana pseudo-stem compared with some other non-wood fiber resources. These results demonstrate that the banana pseudo-stem has potential value for pulping. In addition, we report for the first time from using LM and CLSM that banana stems possess a structure involving helicoidal fibers separated by barrier films.

Keywords

• Banana pseudo-stem
• Chemical analysis
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
• Light Microscopy (LM)
• Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM)