Natural Regeneration :
- Regenerates naturally by seeds and rhizomes.
Artificial Regeneration :
- Propagated by seed , nursery raised seedlings and offset planting (using culm cutting)
Seed collection and Storage :
- Flowers are produced from November to March.
- Seeds ripen April-May.
- Seeds from sporadically flowered clumps are collected in April –May by cutting the branches.
- Separated seeds can be stored for one year in sealed tins.
- Germination capacity progressively reduces day by day.
- Average seed weight varies 25000 – 35000/ kg
- Germination capacity of fresh seeds is 70 -75%
Seed Treatment :
- No Seed treatment is required
Nursery Technique :
- Seed is broadcast in raised mother beds of size 10 m x 1 m, in September to October.
- Approximately 1.5 kg of seeds required for standard mother bed.
- Germination takes 10-20 days.
- 3 months old seedlings are pricked out and transplanted in poly bags and watered regularly.
- Seedling may attain 60 cm tall in one year are suitable for planting.
Plantation technique :
Nursery raised Seedlings :
- One year old nursery raised seedlings are used for planting during the onset of monsoon.
- Pit size of 30 cm3 or 45 cm3 spaced 5 m x 5 m or 6 m x 6 m in moist areas and 4 m x 4 m in dry areas.
Vegetative Propagation :
- Rhizomes Cuttings of about 15-39 cm long and each containing at least on bud, are planted in small pits of size 30 cm3 .
- This is quite a successful method of raising bamboo.
Care & Disease Control :
- Bamboo has to be kept well weeded, both in nursery and young plantation.
- It must be protected against cattle grazing, browsing and fire.
Irrigation :
- In bamboo planting, irrigation should be carried out frequently while they are grown on nursery beds.
- Immediate irrigation should be given at the time of transplanting seedlings from nursery to main field.
- As bamboo trees are sensitive to water logging, make sure to drain out the soil in case of heavy rains or flooding.
- Subsequent irrigations depend on the soil moisture holding and climatic conditions.
- It’s preferred to let a plant go a little dry and water it.
- A drip irrigation system can be adopted for better utilization of water. Over watering will make the tips of leaves to turn into brown.
Recommended Harvest :
- Felling starts 5th year onwards.
Yield :
- Annually about 275-300 productive clumps per hectare
- 3-4 tones at first cut,
- 5-6 tones at second cut and
- 8 tones at third cut.
- Expected yield per hectare is about 70-75 tones over the entire life cycle.
- Industrial plantation of Bamboo yields 3 tones /ha/year
Agro Forestory :
- Various agricultural crops have been found successful like tomato, watermelon, sweet potato, ginger and turmeric.
Major uses :
Stem :
- Stem used to make baskets and ladders
- Young stems - cooked as a vegetable.
Seeds :
- Seeds cooked like rice when they are abundant.
Medicinal :
- A decoction of the leaves and nodes and siliceous matter is used in the traditional medicine
Agro forestry Uses:
- The plant is suitable for the reclamation of ravine land.
Market details :
- Approximately Rs.4000 to Rs.4500 / ton*
*Subject to change according to market demands
