Influence of Height and Age on Natural Resistance of Bamboos against Termites

Abstract

Bamboos are tall arborescent grasses used in many aspects of life. It is believed that bamboo is susceptible to termite attack, which restricts its uses. Normally bamboo is harvested without considering its age and height. Therefore, a study on the influence of height and age on natural termite resistance of bamboo becomes very relevant and important. The three bamboo species studied were B. polymorpha, B. arundinacea and D. strictus against the termite M. beesoni Snyder under laboratory conditions. It was found that age has the great influence on the durability of bamboo and height may affect the same. The bamboos harvested after three years of age were more resistant to termite attack than harvested before three years of age. No significant difference was found in the termite damages of the three portions however, a trend is found that the top portion of bamboo is more susceptible to termite attack than the bottom portion. It seems that as the height increases, the termite resistance property decreases. These findings could be effectively used for harvesting of bamboos and selection of suitable portion.