WBC-VIII-Vol.4 – Resources – Forestry, Plantations and ... - BambuSC

Oxytenanthera stocksii
Pleoblastus variegata
P. green
Pseudosasa japonica
Drepanostachyum falcatum
The bamboo planting stock is now being produced through tissue culture on a large scale in various parts of the
country. The planting material has been tested in multi-locational trials. A national certification system is in
place and it is imperative that any large-scale plantation of bamboo should necessarily source its material from
superior genotypes identified and to the extent possible only certified tissue culture raised material should be
used for obtaining best performance in field.
Standardization of Silvicultural and Plantation Management practices
Raising of Plantations
Bamboo plantations should be raised with intensive management and planed planting schemes like cultivation of
any other cash crops to enhance the yield per annum to a predetermined level. Usually bamboo prefers welldrained
soils of sandy loams to loamy clay type, however, individual species have well defined habitats.
Maintenance activities should be concentrated on protecting the young plants from competition for the first two
years after that clump management operations are required. The bamboo plantation achieves its optimum
productive stage generally by 4 -7 year as in case of sympodial bamboo and continued till the stand attains an
age of around 20-25 years. After that the uprooting of entire plantation is suggested in phased manner for raising
new plantations.
Management Practices
Management of bamboo stands is relatively simple and closely related to the striking generic and cultural
features. In general, the mature culms are cut and regeneration obtained from new culms produced annually
from underground rhizomes, and this practice followed everywhere regardless of the species and type of forest.
However, some more points are as:
Soil working around the Clumps: New rhizomes of bamboo emerge at an upwardly inclined angle from the base
of clump. During the period of emergence and growth any exposure to sunlight stops the rhizome development.
Hence, it is advisable to raise the soil (make mounds) around the clumps every year before the new culms
emergence. Such soil working also increases the number of new culms emergence.
Pruning: This is practiced only in those species which produce thorny branches like Bambusa bamboos. This
should be started in the third year after planting. Pruning prevents congestion and helps in keeping the clump in
working condition. All the branches up to 1.5 m height should be pruned leaving one node on the branch stalk.
Thinning/ Improvement cutting: This practice should be started in the second year after planting and continued
every year before the onset of rains. All malformed and damaged culms should be removed. Culms causing
VIII World Bamboo Congress Proceedings Vol 4-22