Investigation on the Culm Production and Clump Expansion Behaviour of Five Bamboo Species of Bangladesh

A growth study "as conducted for ten years on the undisturbed clumps of Bambusa vulgaris, B. balcooa, B. longispiculata, B. tulda and Melocanna baccifera by planting their vegetative propagules. Study revealed that full grown culm production gradually increased upto 5th year of planting in case of Bambusa species. In Bambusa species production of culms and their growth were found to reach the maximum in five to seven years of planting. After that period culm production gradually decreased and growth of the culm produced culm in subsequent years was not different than the previous years. Similarly clump girth expansion in these Bambusa species was rapid upto the 5th and 6th year of plantation but with reduced expansion rate in the subsequent years. In M. baccifera both culm production and clump expansion continued upto the end of the study period (10 years) with increased rate after the 5th year of clump age. Considering the clump expansion pattern 5m spacing between the planting stock is prescribed only for Bambusa species. Initiation of felling operation after 5 to 7 years of planting is also suggested for these species. Further study is suggested for prescribing the planting space of M. baccifera. Initiation of harvesting is tentatively, for this species, prescribed after 7 to 8 years of planting.