Journal of Tropical Forest Science 12(4):821-823 (2000)

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIO GROWTE TH N NTHYRSOSTACHYSF O H O SIAMENSIS IN JOHORE, PENINSULAR

Azmy Hj. Mohamed

Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, 52109 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Thyrsostachys siamensis (buluh tumpat siam bees ha ) n know grono t w very wel Thailann i l d bamboe th d oan shoot eatee ar s delicacies na s whic sole har d commerciall exporr yfo t (Thammincha 1990, 1995) e exportTh . bambof o s importane oar econome th o t t f yo (Smitinan Ramyarangsd& i 1980). Ratchabur s famoui i r bambofo s o baskets made from T. siamensis. The culms are also exported to Germany, England and Italy. Besides being used as food, the can also be grown as an ornament, and since it can thrive on low fertility soils, it may be planted for soil stabilisation. It is also used as a wind-break. The species has been grown on a plantation basis and can be managed for sustainable supply. From natural stands, the average production in Thailand is estimated at 1500 culms ha;1. In good years, however, annual production may rise to 2500-3000 culms ha'1. The yearly increment per unit area is dependent on the number of new culms produced each year numbee culmw .Th ne sf rvarieo s such that large yields occu alternatn ri e years. e annuaTh l incremen e averagth s i t e productio consecutivo tw n i n e years. Due to the multiple uses of the species, it should be considered for planting in Malaysia for commercial purposes. In addition, it can also help to supply extra food to the people especially in rural areas. The northern states of Peninsular Malaysia have been importing T. siamensis shoots from Thailand. It is also hoped that with the introduction of this species, many bamboo product made b n e sca especiall furniturer yfo . Planting material from Thailand was obtained as rhizome offsets in polybags. Sixty offsets were planted by the East Johore Development Authority (KEJORA) at Bukit Saga, southern Johore. The location is as shown in Figure 1. The average annual rainfall durin three gth e year observatiof wettesse o th d t 192. an seasos durinm ns wa 9 m nwa e gth early month yeare th f ,s o i.e . January, Februar Marchd yan average .Th e temperaturs wa e 28.4 . Initially4°C ,e plantin mosth f o t g materials wer averagf eo d an e m heigh5 0. f to were plante Junn d fillei s e wa d 1996chicke g plantine m witk 1 5 .Th h X 0. n1 gX hol1 f eo dung onl thed yan n covered back with soilholee lin.a Th sn e i wer besideg edu draisa t na a distance of 1 X 1 m. Compound fertiliser NPK (15:15:15 green) was applied three times a year at a rate of 250 g per application per clump. The mortality rate was found to be zero. Six months later, on average, one metre was seen added to the original height. Observations were mad Junn i e e 1997, June 199Juld 8an y 1999. Figur eshow2 e sth 3-y-old . clumsiamensisT f p o Jul n i y 199 t Bukia 9 t Saga, Johore e parameterTh . s measured were height, diameter at breast height (dbh) and number of shoots per clump sprouted (Table 1). e averagTh e numbe f culmo r eacn i s h clum founs e arounb pwa o t d d 8-10 culms. There was an increase in the average height and dbh of this species for the 3-y duration after planting. The number of shoots per clump also increased from year 1 to year 3 (Table 1). Two-year-old Gigantochloa ligulata (buluh tumpat) bamboo taken from the Forest Research Institute Malaysia's (FRIM) nursery, of average height 30 cm, when planted same th t ea site (Bukit Saga Januarn )i y 1996, gav averagn ea e heigh 1.13f to averagd man e f 1.08co month3 h t mdb a s after planting (Azmy 1999). This early incremen heighn i t t was see almoso nt t resemble siamensis . thaT f to plante same th en do site .

821 822 Journal of Tropical Forest Science 12(4):821-823 (2000)

Table 1. Result; observed for 3 y after planting of siamensis

Average height Averagh edb Average No. of shoots Year (m) (cm) sproute clumr dpe p

1 1.18 1.34 1.51 2 2.80 1.73 2.80 3 3.30 1.81 3.30

Figure 1. Location of study site

Thailandn I clum,a consideres pi d good ihast fculmi 0 ;3 averagen so t som,bu e clumps culm0 ma10 y so hav t each p eu 3-y-olA . d plantatio . siamensisT f no raised from seeds produce averagn do culm8 e3 clumr spe p with diamete 1.4-2.f r o whic f o culmm 38 hc 2 s per clump were harvestable on average (Duriyaprapan & Jansen 1995). The number of culms at Bukit Saga was less in comparison because the land was exposed without any vegetatio additionnn I grow . it n no mor,o ther n soip s site to l e ewa lefth t areaa t . Initially before the T. siamensis was planted at the study site, the soil near the drain was eroded, but after the species was planted there were signs that erosion was being controlled due e rooth to t e systebambooth f m o e result .Th s indicate tha siamensis. growT e t b n nca in Malaysia and with the application of a small amount of compound fertiliser constantly, especially during the early establishment stage, it can grow vigorously with increase in th culme speciee th plantesize b f larg a eTh .o n n sca o ed scaldeveloped an e a s da commercial crop. Journal o3 f Tropical82 Forest Science 12(4):821-823 (2000)

Figur . eThyrsostachys2 siamensis plante t Bukida t Saga, southern Johore, Malaysia (3-y-old clum Juln pi y 1999)

Acknowledgements authoe Th r thank Lembage sth a Kemajuan Johor Tenggara (KEJORA) (especially Mardan Murthado t Banda)a r Penawar, Johore their ,fo r cooperation FRIM'd an , s staff makinr fo , g the study possible.

References

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