Bamboo Resources, Bamboo Resources, Management and ProductionManagement and Production

in Chinain China

Lou Yiping, Ph. DInternational Network for Bamboo and Rattan

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Key Points:

• Bamboo Resources

• Species

• Growth

• Bamboo Cultivation and Management

• Nursery

• Plantation

• Bamboo Products

Bamboo Resources

Types of Bamboos:

• Subtropical species

(Running bamboos, or monopodial bamboos) ：

Phyllostachys spp…

• Tropical species

(Clumping bamboos, or sympodial bamboos):

Bambusa spp…

Monopodial bamboo

Sympodial bamboo

Monopodial bamboo (subtropical bamboo, running bamboo

Sympodial bamboo (tropical bamboo or clumping bamboo)

Growth of Subtropical BamboosGrowth of Subtropical Bamboos

Individual shoot-culm height growth Quality growth of culm

Nursery, Cultivation and Management of Bamboo Plantations

Propagation of bamboo

1. Raising seedling from seeds

Season: early spring

Diversity of seedlings: huge diversity exists among the seedlings from eeds.

2. Raising with branch cutting

3. Raising with single-node culm cutting

4. Raising with whole culm cuttings

5. Ground layering

6. Raising from rhizome

Cultivation and Management

Cultivation of Moso bamboo in China Cultivation of Moso bamboo in China (Phyllostachys pubescens)(Phyllostachys pubescens)

Suitable climate zone in China:Total area: about 3 m ha

Matching climatic zones in the world for moso bamboo

Site for Growing Moso Bamboo (1)

1. Climate:

In the monsoon zones south of the Yangtze River, the annual mean temperature is 15-210C, mean temperature during hottest month 26-29 0C, mean temperature during coldest month 1-12 0C, frost-free days 210-330 0C, yearly PPT 750-2,000 mm, yearly average relative humidity 80%. The heavy monsoon rainfall in spring and summer is a key climatic factor for moso growth.

Site for Growing Moso Bamboo (2)

2. Suitable soil Humid dark brown loam and deep soil rich with humus is suitable for thick culm large-sized species Comparatively drier sandy loam for middle-sized species Not high underground water level and enough drainage are required

Site for Growing

Moso Bamboo (3)

3. Altitude: In warm tropical areas, moso bamboo normally can not grow well, but might grow well in higher altitude areas. Taking Chishui of Guizhou province as an example: below an altitude of 800 m, moso bamboo can grow well naturally. Sympodial bamboo grows naturally below 800 m in the same area. Below 800 m altitude

in Chishui area

Above 800 m altitude

in Chishui area

Nursery plantNursery plant

Three forms of bamboo nursery plant Rhizomes with mother culm(s) : most superior growth can be expected Rhizomes with mother culm(s) cut at ground

level Rhizomes without mother culm

Age of rhizomes for nursery plants 2 – 3 years for large species, 1 – 2 for mid-

sized

Suitable condition of rhizome thick with many buds, 50 – 70 cm in length

Planting season and densityPlanting season and density

December to February 450 – 600 mother plants per ha for large-sized 600 – 1000 nursery plants per ha for mid-sized

FertilizingFertilizing

Fertilizing is usually not practiced in mature forests

Chemical or organic fertilizers are applied to newly planted bamboo

Seasons for fertilizing are from June to July and September when using fast-acting fertilizer and in winter when using compost

Harvesting and age of culmHarvesting and age of culm

Harvesting is mainly practiced by selective

cutting method.

In mature and stable forests it is ideal if

the volume of harvested timbers is similar to that

of new culms expected in next spring.

General harvesting age of culms is about 4-5

years old.

Standing culm densityStanding culm density

The range of density in maturedplantation: 4,000 – 8,000 culms/ha

Production of moso forest: a. Stands of intensive management. These occup

y 5% of the total pure stands, the productivity of which is around 7-10 t/ha/yr, with highest yields at optimum sites up to 35 t/ha/yr.

b. Stands with mid-level management. About 40% of the total, the productivity of which is 3.5-7 t/ha/yr.

c. Stands of extensive management. These are about 55% of the total and usually over-harvested. It’s productivity is lower than 3.5 t/ha/yr.

Bamboo ProductsBamboo Products

Furniture and Handicrafts Furniture and Handicrafts • Traditional woven

products have been made for thousands of years

• These traditional products still have a role in creating cash incomes for the rural poor

• They also link rural and urban poor and are more environmentally friendly than plastic

Bamboo FlooringBamboo Flooring

Three stages in China:•1988-1995 with an annual production of 30-50,000 m2; equipment from Taiwan; quality not ensured.•1996-1999 development of int’l market and enterprises reform•2000- rapid growth, intervention in the developed markets; annual production more then 2 million m2

Prices: United States - $60/m2UK - $90/m2

Bamboo mats and boardsBamboo mats and boards

Bamboo pulp and paperBamboo pulp and paper

Bamboo pulp output

in China (tons):

1999 – 200,000

2000 – 500,000

2010 – 1600,000

Bamboo CharcoalBamboo Charcoal

Bamboo charcoal is highly prized for many uses - decolouring, de-odorising

Bamboo Fiber and TextilesBamboo Fiber and Textiles

Bamboo ShootsBamboo Shoots

International trade in bamboo shoots from China is now worth more than USD 150 million per year.