EARLY GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF TISSUE CULTURE RAISED DENDROCALAMUS ASPER

PLANTED IN VARIOUS TERRAIN CONDITIONS AT SUNGAI JERNIH ESTATE KERLING SELANGOR

Amir Saaiffudin K1*, Dasrul Iskandar D2, Abdul Hamid M.Y3 & Siti Habsah R4

Silviculture unit, Forest Plantation Programme, Forest Biotechnilogy Division, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Kepong, Selangor
1,2

3
Clarity Crest Sdn Bhd, 8trium, Level 18, Menara 1, Jalan Cempaka 12/5, Bandar Sri Damansara, Kuala Lumpur

FGV R&D Sdn Bhd, FGV Innovation centre, PT 35377, Lengkuk Teknologi, Bandar Enstek, Negeri Sembilan
4

saaiff@frim.gov.my
 Introductions
• Sungai Jernih Estate; fully owned by Land
and General Bhd has started a commercial
bamboo plantation for the purpose of
producing bio-energy product.
• The main bamboo species planted here is
Dendrocalamus asper (Buluh Betung)
• D. asper is regarded as the most versatile
species for industrial applications
• This species can grow to a height of 20–30
m, with a diameter of 8–20 cm
• Plantation bamboo mature in 4-5 years
and harvesting is possible every year
Bamboo species – soil textures, elevations & rainfall requirements

Local name Botanical name Suitable soil texture Elevations Rainfall (mm)
(m/asl)

Buluh Betung Denrocalamus asper Sandy clay <1200 1800-3600

Buluh Beting Gigantochloa levis Sandy clay <1200 1800-2500

Buluh Aur Bambusa vulgaris Sandy loam <1200 1500-3800

Sandy clay

Buluh Lemang Schizostachyum Sandy clay <600 1500-3700

brachycladum
Methodology
• The trial was established at Sungai Jernih Estate Kerling
Hulu Selangor (N030 33 33’.42’’ E 1010 34’ 46.88’’).
• 80 km North of Kuala Lumpur and 83 m above sea level.
• Formally the area was a rubber plantation
• The soil was identified as Serdang series soil, one of the
most extensive soil series in Selangor developed from
quartzites, sandstones and sandy shales.
• The soil is well-drained and has a good permeability.
Site terrain and planting density of the trial plots

Site terrain Plot Planting Clumps

no distances (m) ha-1

10° - 15° 1 6x5 333

16° - 20° 2 6x5 333

>20° (planted on terraces) 3 5x8 255

 Bamboo planting material
and field planting

• The bamboo tissue culture ramets were developed by

FGV at FGVIC Bandar Enstek Sepang
• The planting materials were grown for four(4) months
in 8" x 10" polybags at the estate nursery
• The seedlings were later transferred to the field
• Planted in 12” x 12” x 12” planting hole filled with
200g of rock phosphate and then covered back with
soil.
• After planting, 350 grammes of 20:10:10 NPK fertilizer
were applied twice, at ages 5 and 12 months.
DATA COLLECTIONS
• First measurements at 8 months after planting
• Subsequent measurements at age: 9, 11, 14 and 20 months
• The parameters measured were clump height (m), culms diameter (cm)
(DBH), total number of culms/clump and number of shoots per clump
sprouted.
• DBH was measured using digital calipers by taking the measurements
of culms at the middle of the standing clump.
• The height (m) was measured using a graduated height stick, by
measuring the utmost tip of the plant starts to droop.
• The standing density was calculated by the number of culms per
clump.
• The final growth increment of the bamboo stands over the 20-month
period was calculated by subtracting the final data from the initial data.
Mean height, DBH, and quantity of culms produced age
8-20 months plot 1-3.

Age Plot 1 Plot 2 Plot 3

(mths) Height (m) DBH No of Height DBH No of Height DBH No of
(cm) culms (m) (cm) culms (m) (cm) culms

8 1.27 1.36 3.27 1.55 1.44 3.41 1.92 1.42 3.1

9 2.34 2.08 5.23 2.33 2.00 5.13 2.5 2.13 4.91
11 2.99 2.12 6.72 2.85 2.12 6.8 3.12 2.26 6.74
14 3.87 2.4 8.6 3.24 2.33 8.46 4.1 2.48 8.61
20 4.98 3.38 11.98 4.86 3.25 10.23 4.92 3.31 12.24
The analysis for the differences of height (m) diameter (cm) and
culms increment across 20 months at different terrain conditions

Mean annual height increment Mean annual diameter increment Mean annual culms/clump
2.05 a 10 increment
a
9 a
4 a
2
8
3.5 b

centimeter (cm)
c 1.95 7 b
3 ba
6
2.5 1.9

no of culms
5
meter (m)

2 1.85 b 4
1.5
1.8 3
1
2
1.75
0.5
1
0 1.7
1 2 3 1 2 3 0
1 2 3
plot plot
Plot
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
• Survival was at 85% or higher for all plots.
• High survival rate can be achieved by using
quality planting stock, well hardened and proper
management during the early planting stage.
• For bamboo species, adding soil treatment to the
planting hole will significantly increase survival
rates
• The average height of all plots nears 5 metres at
the end of the monitoring period.
• Initially, DBH ; 1.3 to 1.5 cm (8 months) and
steadily increases to 3.3 cm at age 20 months.
• Tissue culture planting material displayed profuse
shooting of culms at an early stage with most
culms size being of <3 cm.
• 20th month after planting, culms of 3–4 cm started
appearing consistently in all three plots.
Conclusions

• Terrace construction minimizes loss of water

and enables bamboo to grow more intensely
than would otherwise be possible at areas with
slopes greater than 200.
• Bamboo has a lot of potential as a renewable
energy source in Malaysia and further research
is needed to provide recommendations for the
establishment of bamboo plantations that are
both affordable to establish and maintain.
THANKS FOR
YOUR
ATTENTION