Authors:Nath, A.J; Gitasree Das; Das, A.K
Abstract:The status of three bamboo species, Bambusa cacharensis, B. vulgaris and B. balcooa in Barak Valley, Assam was studied with respect to population structure under the traditional harvest regimes and the effect of different harvest regimes on new culm production, culm size and culm height. A culm age class structure of almost 3:3:2:1:1(B. cacharensis) and 4:2:2:1:1(for both B. vulgaris and B. balcooa) for current to four-year-old culms was recognized under selective harvest system. Under clearfelling regimes during rainy and winter seasons, culm age class structure was represented by 8:2 and 5:5 (B.cacharensis) and, 8:2 and 7:3 (B. vulgaris) for current to one-year-old culms respectively. In B. balcooa, culm age class structure was represented by the current year culms only. The new culm production, culm height and culm dbh exhibited highest values under selective felling. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant differences (P < 0.05) between the values of new culm production, culm height and dbh of new culms under selective and clear felling harvest regimes within each species, suggesting the need for developing management strategies for enhancing bamboo productivity through restricting the clear felling system.
Keywords:analysis of variance; bamboos; effects; felling; population structure;