VOLUME 2 Bamboo for Thailand and Southeast Asia - BambuSC

c. In a study conducted by Baja-Lapis, Bumarlong, Tandug and Moldes in 1980 on direct planting of culm
cuttings, it was reported that out of a total of 720 two-node unsplit culm cuttings taken from about 1 to 2 year
old culms of B. blumeana, B. vulgaris and Dendrocalamus merrilianus directly planted in cogonal area had a
survival rates of only 25%, 51%, and 35%,respectively, after six months. Subsequent to the above study was a
project in Ilocos Norte and Bukidnon on the survival and growth of G. levis and D. merrilianus as affected by
site preparation and fertilizer application, the results of which were reported by Baja-Lapis et. al., in 1984.
3. Nursery propagation using culm cuttings
a. Instead of direct planting of cuttings, nursery propagation of culm cuttings was undertaken to be able to
supply quality planting stocks to plantation developers so that higher survival in the field can be assured.
b. Through trial and error method, the Caasi family in Mindanao was able to develop vegetative propagation of
Bambusa philippinensis. At first, the Caasi’s tried the rhizomes or division but found to be laborious and costly
since only few propagules can be extracted from a clump. Subsequently, the Caasi’s tried culm cuttings and
found that is more efficient and effective if culm cuttings from 15 to 24 month old culms are used. This species
and its propagation were popularized by the Caasi’s in Mindanao since such bamboo species is the main
propping material for banana.
c. The desire to further improve the propagation technology, graduate students in UPLB used bamboos for
propagation studies in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s: Propagation of culm cuttings in the nursery was
conducted by Bumarlong (1977); Propagation using branch cuttings was done by Palijon (1983) and Soriano
(1984).
d. Use of rooting hormones in bamboo propagation: Uchimura in 1977 used rooting hormones and found that
soaking of cuttings of B. vulgaris to 100 ppm Indole butyric acid (IBA) solution for 24 hours before planting
had better rooting rates and had longer roots than stocks soaked in same concentration of alpha-naphthalene
acetic acid (ANAA) and IBA; Bumarlong also in 1977studied IBA, Indole acetic acid (IAA) and ANAA in
rooting cuttings of B. blumeana and found that 600 ppm ANAA gave the highest total dry weight and mean
length of roots while the 200 ppm ANAA gave the highest mean number of roots; Palijon in 1983 found 100
ppm IBA and 100 ppm IAA were much better treatments in enhancing rooting in the nursery and survival in the
field of B. blumeana branch cuttings. Palijon’s study included the field performance of branch cuttings, the
results of which was published in Philippine Agricultural Scientist, an International Journal. .
e. Use of branch marcot (marcotting) culm cuttings was introduced by an Engineer, Mr Domingo Alfonso in the
early 1980’s. This propagation method was one of the highlights in his Kawayan (Bamboo) Farm in Pillilla,
Rizal.
f. Pre-rhizomed, pre-rooted branch cuttings were also tried. Results show great potential for use in commercial
propagation of selected species of bamboos (Palijon, undated).
g. The use of mist (Palijon, 1983; Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center in Mindanao- MBRLC, 1980’s) and nonmist
system or sometimes referred to as “incubation method” (Caasi, 1988; MBRLC; Philippine Rural
VIII World Bamboo Congress Proceedings Vol 2-5