PULPWOOD SPECIES

Bambusa bamboo

Scientific Name          : Dendrocalamus strictus       
Tamil Name                 : Kal Moongil
Family                         : Graminae

Origin: Bamboo is indigenous to India and it is a grass.

Rotation: The average life of a culm is 7 years.

Spacing: Bamboo is planted in 5 m x 5 m spacing.

Distribution
Dendrocalamus strictus is the hardest, most widely distributed and important bamboo species found in India. It occurs throughout the country barring Northern parts of West Bengal, Assam and other very moist areas. It is common in most hilly parts of Peninsular India, except very moist places. It occurs in alluvial plains and ravines, and on hill slopes to an altitude of about 1100 m.

Phenology: D.strictus exhibits both sporadic and gregarious flowering

Silvicultural characters: It is drought resistant and frost hardy. It is also a light demander.

Climate and Soil
It is commonly found in drier areas and grows on   well drained soils and stony soils on hill slopes.

Nursery technique
Seeds are sown in raised bed. Germination commences within 11 days after sowing. Forty days after sowing, the seedlings are transferred to polybags.

Planting technique
Ten months to one year old seedlings are planted in the main field at a spacing of 5mx5m. The management of bamboo involves two main considerations viz.,
Felling cycle and felling intensity
The felling rules are observed at every cutting cycle.
i) Culms less than 2years of age should not be cut
ii) In a clump, atleast 6 mature culms are to be retained
iii) The culms should be cut at 15cm above ground level
iv) While cutting the culms should not be split

Harvest and yield table for bamboo
            The following table gives a model for harvest management in bamboo and the potential culm yield of bamboo.

Utilization
It is mainly used in paper industry. Its seeds are eaten. It also used for house construction, agricultural tools, and implements, as food material, fodder, medicinal purposes besides being convenient source for cellulose for paper and rayon. It is an economic resource having immense potential for improving the quality of life of rural and urban communities with environment regeneration qualities like carbon sequestration. Bamboo provides raw material for major industries like pulp and paper as well as for cottage and handicrafts industry.