Bamboo plantations have been raised by using in vitro plants at several places in Tamil Nadu since, 1985. The success of bamboo plantations mainly, depends on the survival per cent of the transplanted seedlings, and its subsequent growth and productivity.
The main objective of this investigation were to evaluate the bamboo plantations raised from in vitro plants at (1) Kallipatty (1987-1997), (2) Kummittapuram (1990-1993), (3) Kothamangalam (1995-1997), (4) Chickally (1993- 1995), all Erode district and (5) Vadipatty (1990-1996), Madurai district. The criteria’s, taken for evaluation includes, survival per cent of the transplanted seedlings, growth, annual recruitment of the culms per clump and productivity.
1. Kallipatty:
Study Area:
The study area is located at Kallipatty between 11°28′ and 12° latitude and 76°59′ and 77°47′ longitude. Its altitude is 540 msl. This area has red soil, with pH between 7.4 and 7.8. Soil nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium were 3800 Kg/ha, 360 Kg/ha, 3600 Kg/ha respectively. The mean temperature is 31°C, mean rainfall is 600 mm.
Nursery Management Practices:
A nursery area of 10 m x 5 m was prepared in the field and filled with a mixture of soil and sand (3:1). The seedlings were pricked out from the polythene bags when about 7cm in height. About 25-30 seedlings were planted in 1m2 of raised nursery bed. Watering was done 2-3 times a day, and care taken to avoid over saturation. Nursery beds were provided with a thatch to protect the seedlings from the direct sunlight.
Transplanting:
The seedlings in the nursery were uprooted carefully and transplanted to the field during August (after about 9 months). The seedlings were planted with 6m x 6m spacing in 3 ha area with 250 seedlings per ha.
The transplanted seedlings were watered regularly in the morning and evening. Weeding was done as and when required. After one year, the plantation was adequately irrigated at 15 day intervals. Care was taken to avoid over-logging. The plantation was protected against damage by rodents, grazing and browsing animals.
Annual Production of Culms:
In the trial plantation, culm emergence took place in 1988, the year following planting. Seedlings of Bambusa bambos produced only 5 culms per clump in the first year after planting. The average number of culms gradually increased in the subsequent years to 8, 12, 14, 16, 13, 11, 9, 8, and 7 per clump. Culms emerging in the first year were short (1.4 m) in length and small in diameter (2.3 cm dbh). Culms produced in subsequent years were distinctly taller and thicker.
Productivity:
The mean grand total per culm tripled in each of years 1 and 2. Increments then declined though from the end of the year 2 to end of year 6, biomass rose from 17.5 Kg to 70.1 Kg. The total standing biomass (t/ha) was calculated using data on the density of the bamboos of different ages. Dry matter production increased progressively to reach 286.6 mg/ha by the sixth year. The Bambusa bambos plantation raised at Kallipatty has attained great success mainly due to irrigation and protection from biotic interference.
2. Kummittapuram:
In view of the decreasing coverage under forest cover and simultaneous increase in demand for bamboos, foresters have no option but to think in terms of increasing bamboo production within the existing natural stands of bamboo forests.
The bamboo seedlings were planted in the Kummittapuram forest area, Sathyamangalam division, by the office of the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bamboo Estates, Gobichettypalayam, Tamil Nadu during 1990. This study was taken-up to see the performance and survival of transplanted seedlings in the Kummittapuram area of Sathyamangalam Forest Division.
Study Area:
The study area is located between 20°-30′ N latitude and 90°E longitude. The climate of the area is monsoonal. This area has red soils with pH between 7-8. The maximum soil nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium were determined to be 160, 22 and 180 Kg/ha respectively. The mean annual temperature is 30°C and the rainfall is about 1005 mm.
Trials and Observations:
The seedlings in the nursery were uprooted carefully and planted in the pit size of 45 x 45 cm during August 1990 with a spacing of 6 m x 6 m.
The planting was completed before the monsoon got fully set in. To provide better initial growing environment to the seedlings the upper halves of the pits were filled-up with a mixture of soil, FYM and 25g Complex (N, P, K ) 17 : 17 : 17 per plant, while the lower halves were filled-up with original soil.
Soil operations like gully plugging were done. Brushwood fence was made to each seedling to prevent damage from rodents, grazing and browsing animals. The fire is the most detrimental to seedling regeneration. Therefore, the plantation area needs protection from fire. Two fire watchers were appointed to oversee the plantation from fire.
Observations:
The growth data, survival per cent and seedling height are given in Table 3. Perusal of data reveals that in respect of survival per cent Beat-II showed maximum per cent (95%) followed by Beat-III (90%), Beat-I (75%) and Beat-IV (70%).
It is the survival per cent, which determines the suitability of the species to the site if, the growth is in normal range. In respect of height growth Beat-II (1.15 m) followed by Beat-IV (0.95 m), Beat-III (0.85 m) and Beat-I (0.70 m) were found growing in this order.
Here Bambusa bambos seedlings giving 0.70 to 1.15 m height growth have been considered as successful, reason being that this is the introductory trial and height growth can be given importance only when it differs extra-ordinarily from this performance on a normal site. The result reveals that, the plantation raised so far have attained grand success by getting the survival per cent from 70 to 95%.
Production of Culms / Clump:
It was observed that average culm emergence in Beat-II (2 culms/clump) and Beat-III (1 culm/clump) took place during 1991, i.e., one year emergence took place during the first year (Table 4). However, culm emergence took place in all the four beats during second year. The average annual production of culm gradually increased in the subsequent years and numbered at 4, 8, 5 and 3 per clump in Beat I, II, III & IV respectively.
In conclusion, to get maximum yield in due course, the plantation management should be continued for some more years.
3. Kothamangalam:
Study Area:
The study area is located at Kothamangalam, near Bhavanisagar, between 11°28′ and 12° latitude and 76°59′ and 77°47′ longitude. Its altitude is 540 m MSL. This area has red soil. Soil pH is between 5.5 to 7. The electrical conductivity is 2.2 ms/cm. The maximum soil N, P, K was 107, 7.6 and 134 Kg/ha respectively. The maximum temperature is 36°C and rainfall is 570 mm.
Plantation Details:
This plantation was raised during November 1995. The seedlings were planted with 6m x 6m spacing in 5 ha area with 250 seedlings per ha-1. The transplanted seedlings were watered two hours regularly in the morning and evening. Weeding was done as and when required. Care was taken to avoid water logging. The plantation was protected from damage by rodents, grazing and browsing animals.
Growth and Observations:
The productivity of bamboo is assessed by the number of new culms produced annually. At a given site the production of new culms mostly depends on the clumps of the previous year, the degree of congestion and the clump age. At Kothamangalam, culm emergence took place the year following planting.
Seedling of Bambusa bambos produced only 4 culm per clump, in the first year. The average number of culms increased to 7 during the 2nd year. Culm produced in 2nd year was distinctly taller and thicker than first year.
4. Chickally:
The Bambusa bambos seedlings were planted in the Chickally forest area, Sathyamangalam division by the office of the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bamboo Estates, Gobichettipalayam during August 1992. This part, reports the results of trials in which the transplanted seedlings were given protection from grazing, soil treatment and application of fertilizers.
Study Area:
The study area (Beat-III) lies between the 18°30′ latitude and 80°5′ E longitude. The climate is monsoonal. This area has red soils with pH between 7 to 8. The maximum soil nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium were determined to be 150, 30 and 200 Kg/ha-1 respectively. The mean annual temperature is 28°C and the rainfall is about 1200 mm.
Transplanting:
The seedlings were transplanted to 45 x 45 cm pit in the fields during August 1992. The seedlings were planted with 6m x 6m spacing in 49.3 ha open area.
Beat-I – 13.7 ha – 3808 seedlings
Beat-II – 11.0 ha-3058 seedlings
Beat-Ill – 14.6 ha – 4058 seedlings
The planting was completed before the monsoon got fully set in.
Observations:
In each beat 5 ha has been selected randomly to assess the growth and survival per cent of the transplanted seedlings. The observation was continued for one full year. The annual recruitment of culms/clumps during subsequent years was noted. The estimation of biomass was also done to study the performance of the bamboo plantation.
Growth Data:
Perusal of data given in Table 6 reveals that in respect of survival per cent Beat-II (80%), Beat-III (75%) and Beat-I (70%) are successful for the Chickally area. In respect of height growth Beat-I (1.05 m), Beat-III (0.90 m) and Beat-I (0.85 m) were found growing in this order. It is the survival per cent which determines the suitability of the species to the site, if the growth is in normal range. This was the first time; the seedlings were planted in the forest area after a prolonged interval.
Annual Production of Culms /Clump:
The average annual production of culms/clump increased during subsequent years. The maximum production of culms were observed in Beat-II (16) followed by Beat-Ill (13) and Beat-I (11) (Table 7).
Biomass of Bambusa Bambos:
In order to study the productivity of the plantation, 15 bamboos were felled randomly in each Beat. After felling, bamboo was separated into culms, branches and leaves. The fresh weights were taken in the field. The representative samples were brought to the laboratory and dried at 103 ± 2°C in a hot air oven.
The productivity (biomass) of bamboo increased year after year and observed maximum during 1995 (Table 8). The biomass found in the order of Beat-II (1.800 Kg/bamboo) followed by Beat – III (1.450 Kg/bamboo) and Beat-I (1.200 Kg/ bamboo).
5. Vadipatty:
Study Area:
The study area is located at Vadipatty village near Madurai is at an altitude of 137m MSL. It is located at 78’E of longitude and 10°N latitude. The soil of this area is sandy loam with pH between 6.7 to 8.6. The electrical conductivity of soil was 0.1 ms cm-1. The maximum soil N, P, K were determined to be 112, 24 and 500 Kg/ha respectively. The mean maximum temperature was 34.4°C and the average annual rainfall is about 140 mm. The maximum relative humidity was 78 per cent.
Strip Plantation Trials:
The seedlings in the nurseries were uprooted carefully and transplanted on large scale along road side during 1990 at a distance of 5m x 5m for app. 3 kms. In each Km 10 clumps has been randomly selected to assess the growth of the transplanted seedlings. The observation was made on every alternate year. The annual productions of culms/clump during the subsequent years were noted.
Annual production of culms:
The average annual production of culms/clump increased every year (Table 9). The maximum production of 24 culms (6th year) was observed and minimum of 6 culms (2nd year) was observed.
Strip Plantation:
The strip plantations along road, canal and agricultural fields combine three-recognized social forestry aspects, viz., protection, community and subsistence forestry. They are after physical protection to the land resource, in that they not only conserve topography, soil, water, air and fertility, but also provide shade and amelioration of surrounding environment.
Their existence provides protective barrier to adjoining cultivated fields. They resist and prevent the effects of high velocity winds and thereby avoid losses due to the detrimental effects of intense heat, light, wind velocity and abrasive and chemical effects of air pollutants. They meet the immediate requirements of the agricultural population of small timber, fuel and fodder and cater to grazing.
Roadside strips, though state Government owned land resource, cannot be fully deployed for commercial purposes. Managerial limitation renders the strip resource ineffective for sustained commercial production. The management problem further deepens due to variable site conditions.
Soil characteristics in particular, vary greatly within a short length affecting the uniform growth of the bamboo species under the circumstances great problem. Road side strips are common property resources and can be effectively utilized for the production on a sustainable basis only when bamboo vegetation is grown with the active participation of local population.
People’s participation can be achieved provided the right species is selected and people have sharing benefits. Production and influential benefits would naturally reach the community. Versatile bamboo readily meets the acceptance of the people and is adopted to varying soil conditions.