Effect of Planting Density on Growth Performance and Culm Production in Dendrocalamus asper (Schult.) and Dendrocalamus stocksii (Munro)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2026/v152i4/171080Keywords:
Planting density, Spacing, Growth performance, Culm production, Clump morphology, Heritability, Genetic variation, Dendrocalamus asper, Dendrocalamus stocksii, Bamboo productivity.Abstract
This study investigated the long-term effects of spacing on growth traits and culm production in two economically important bamboo species, Dendrocalamus asper and Dendrocalamus stocksii, in a mature plantation in Karnataka, India. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with eight replications per treatment. Three spacings (5 × 5 m, 5 × 7 m, and 5 × 9 m) were evaluated for D. asper, while two spacings (5 × 5 m and 9 × 9 m) were tested for D. stocksii. Results indicated that wider spacing significantly enhanced individual plant traits, including clump height, culm height, basal diameter, and internode number in both species. D. asper grown at 5 × 9 m spacing produced the tallest and thickest culms (7.05 m height and 46.63 mm basal diameter), whereas D. stocksii at 9 × 9 m spacing recorded superior clump diameter (3.01 m) and culm number per clump (49.90). In contrast, closer spacing (5 × 5 m) resulted in the highest culm density per hectare (8,752 in D. asper and 14,440 in D. stocksii), thereby maximizing total yield. Genetic analysis based on ANOVA-derived variance components revealed high heritability and genetic advance for traits such as clump height, culm height, and internode number, indicating strong potential for selection and genetic improvement. Overall, wider spacing improved individual culm and clump vigor, whereas closer spacing enhanced total culm yield, suggesting that spacing strategies should be optimized based on specific production objectives.
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