BAMBOOS OF INDI A

Bamboos of India
Fibre length 2.49 mm, diameter 15.43 µm, lumen diameter 3.74 µm, wall thickness 5.86 µm, parenchyma
23.4 per cent.
CHEMISTRY
Studies on peroxidase isozymes showed 8 bands. Two with lowest mobility were intense, four showed medium mobility
and medium intense. The other two bands were light (Lalitha Kumari et al., 1985). Proximate chemical analysis showed
caustic soda 20 per cent, Kappa No.24.3, lignin in bamboo 21.7 per cent, lignin in pulp 2.8 per cent, pentosans in
bamboo 20 per cent, pentosans in pulp 16.8 per cent, pulp yield unscreened 54.7 per cent, screened 54.5 per cent
(Singh et al., 1976).
SILVICULTURE AND MANAGEMENT
Propagation trials conducted with culm cuttings showed the possibility of rooting 3-noded culm cuttings from base and
middle portions of one-year-old culms. Genetic improvement work has been initiated in Arunachal Pradesh in 1980.
Plantation by offset planting was tried by Orissa Forest Department. In Bangladesh, trials with culm cuttings showed
38 per cent of rooting under controlled conditions. Offset planting is also in practice.
PESTS AND DISEASES
Four diseases namely rhizome rot caused by Ganoderma lucidum, culm rot caused by Botryodiplodia theobromae,
blight caused by Sarocladium oryzae, gray leaf spot caused by Hendersonula toruloidea are reported. Heavy mortality is
seen in Orissa due to blight. High humidity and temperature are found favourable for infection. Bavistin (0.15%)
combined with Dithane M-45 (0.3%) or Fytolan (0.3%) are found effective for controlling the blight. Attack by insect
borers, Dinoderus sp. and Chlorothorus annularis is reported (Deka et al., 1990; Gupta et al., 1992).
PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
There is no longitudinal shrinkage for culm, diameter shrinkage is 4.6-6.6 per cent and wall shrinkage is 3.8-6.3 per
cent for different ages (Sekar et al., 1962; Sekar and Rawat, 1964). Moisture content 88.3 per cent in green, 14.0 in airdry,
average specific gravity 0.603 in green, 0.673 in air-dry, fibre stress at elastic limit 29.5 in air-dry and 29.6 N/mm 2
in green, modulus of rupture 52.9 in green and 52.4 N/mm 2 in air-dry, modulus of elasticity 6.7 in green and 10.7 kN/
mm 2 in air-dry, compression strength parallel to grain 456 kg/cm 2 in green and 479 kg/cm 2 in air-dry bamboo respectively.
Variation was observed in materials collected from different states.
NATURAL DURABILITY AND PRESERVATION
Treatment of fresh bamboo pieces with water for leaching water soluble substances helped to reduce borer attack
(Roonwal et al., 1966). Seasoning behaviour shows that it dries rapidly, but is liable to crack and collapse; cracks
occurring mostly at the nodes; cracks at the other places close up late during drying; drying by passing hot air from solar
air heaters through the bamboo tube obtained by puncturing the nodal partitions improve the drying behaviour with
reduced surface cracking (Jain and Kambo, 1991; Sharma et al., 1992).
USES
It is a graceful bamboo worth growing as ornamental (Gamble, 1896), one among the six species commonly used in
Indian paper industry. The culm is good, strong, straight and used locally for various purposes, mainly as poles.
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