International Journal of Forestry and Crop Improvement

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Quantification of Litter Fall and Assessment of Nutrient Composition in Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris Var. Vulgaris) Plantation


Affiliations
1 Department of Silviculture, Forest College and Research Institute, Mettupalayam (T.N.), India
2 Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur (Kerala), India
3 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sirsi, Uttara Kannada (Karnataka), India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


To quantify the leaf litter bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris var. Vulgaris) plantation/year and assessing nutrient in litter an experiment was conducted in farmer's field at Kottur, Tanjore district during 2014 with three different type of spacing viz., 5 x 5m, 6 x 4m and 7 x 4m. The litter fall study was initiated during November 2013 and biometric parameters viz., tree height, DBH and number of culms were recorded. For litter fall quantification, green shade net was tied around the trees at different spacing and litter fall was quantified at 3 months intervals. Litter samples were collected and analysed for nutrient contents. Soil samples were collected, processed and analysed for changes in nutrient status. The result revealed that the growth of bamboo differed from tree spacing and it was observed that 7 x 4m spacing recorded maximum tree height (8.3m), number of culms (39.3) and DBH (4.4cm).The maximum quantity of litter fall observed in 6 x 4m of about 7000 kg ha-1 yr-1.The analytical result showed that the nitrogen content in bamboo was varied between 2.042 to 2.099 per cent, total phosphorus between 0.265 to 0.275 and total potassium between 1.061 to 1.072 per cent. With regard to changes in soil properties, soil pH was found to be slightly alkaline (7.48) in nature at the time of establishment of the plantation but over period of five years it decreased to acidic (6.26) and soil EC was decreased from 0.156 to 0.125 dS m-1. There was considerable improvement in available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium and organic carbon status from the initial status 260.3 kg ha -1, 25.63 kg ha -1, 140.63 kg ha -1 and 0.652 per cent to 314.82 kg ha-1, 34.27 kg ha -1, 206.50 kg ha -1 and 0.681 per cent, respectively.

Keywords

Litter Fall, Quantification, Soil, Nutrient, Spacing, Bamboo.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Bala, N., Kumar, Pramod, Bohra, N.K., Limba, N.K., Baloch, S.R. and Singh, G. (2010). Production and decomposition of litter in plantation forests of Eucalyptus camaldulensis along canal command area in Indian desert. Indian Forester, 178 (3): 164-172.

  • Brady, N.C. (1990). The nature and properties of soils. MacMillan Publishing Company, NEW YORK, U.S.A.

  • Clark, M.S., Ferris, H., Klonsky, K., Lanini, W.T., Bruggen, A.H.C. and Zalom, F.G. (1998). Agronomic, economic and environmental comparison of pest management in conventional and alternative tomato and corn systems in northern California. Agric., Ecosyst. & Environ., 68: 51-71.

  • Gosz, J.R, Likens, G.T. and Bormarm, F.H. (1973). Nutrient release from decomposing leaf and branch litter in the Hubbard Brook Forest, New Hampshire. Ecol Monogr, 43:173-191.

  • Guilding, K.W.T and Talibuddin, O. (1979). Potassium reserve in a sandy clay soil from the saxmundhum experiments: Kinetics and equilibrium thermodynamics. J.Soil Sci., 30: 291-302.

  • Jackson, M.L. (1973). Soil chemical analysis. Prentice Hall, Inc. (1973 Ed.) Englewood cliffs, N.J.,

  • Kumar, B.M. and Deepu, J.K. (1992). Litter production and decomposition dynamics in moist deciduous forests of the Western Ghats in Peninsular India. Forest Ecol. & Mgmt., 50(3/ 4): 181-201.

  • Kumar, G., Hegde, K.R. and Luckins, C.B. (2001). Decomposition and nutrient release pattern of leaf litters of mangium (Acacia mangiumWild). Indian J. Agroforestry, 3(1): 11-22.

  • Lal, R., Kimble, J.M. and Follett, R.F. (2000). Methodological challenges toward balancing soil C pool and fluxes. In: R. Lal, J.M. Kimble, R.F. Follett and B.A. Stewart (Eds) Assessment Methods for Soil Carbon Pools. CRC/Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL: 659-667pp.

  • Lodhiyal, L. S., Lodhiyal, N. and Singh, S.K. (2002). Litter dynamics and nutrient return of poplar plantations in moist plain areas if Central Himalaya. Indian Forester, 1183-1194.

  • Manivasakan, S. (2007). Studies on nutrient dynamics in teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.) ecosystem. Ph.D. Thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, T.N. (INDIA).

  • Mary, M.V and Sankaran, K.V. (1991). Ex-situ decomposition of leaf litters of Tectona grandis, Eucalyptus tereticornis and Albizia falcataria. KFRI Research Report, 71:41.

  • Nath, A.J., Das, G. and Das, A.K. (2009). Above ground standing biomass and carbon storage in village bamboos in North East India. Biomass & Bioenergy, 33:1188-1196.

  • Nisharaj, S., Paulsamy, S. and Sekaran, S. (2003). Litterfall and nutrient return in four tropical deciduous forests of western ghats. My Forest, 39(1): 25-30.

  • Olsen, S.R., Cole, C.V., Watanabe, F.S. and Dean, L.A. (1954). Estimation of available phosphorus in soils by extraction with sodium bicarbonate. USDA Circular 939.U.S. Government Printing Office, WASHINGTON D.C.

  • Pragasan, Arul L. and Parthasarathy, N. (2005). Litter production in tropical dry evergreen forests of south India in relation to season, plant life forms and physiognomic groups. Curr. Sci., 88 (8): 12-25.

  • Rajagopal, K., George, M., Buvaneswaran, C. and Vijayan, C.V. (2001). Litter production and nutrient return in teak plantation. Adv. Forestry Res. India, 24: 136-150.

  • Rawat, M.S., Uniyal, D.P. and Emmanuel, C.J.S.K. (1995). Use of coppice shoots in seed production areas of teak: A New Concept. Indian Forester, 121 (6): 469-471.

  • Salamanca, Eric F., Nobuhiro, Kaneko and Shigeo, Katagiri (1998). Effects of leaf litter mixtures on the decomposition of Quercus serrata and Pinus densiflora using field and laboratory microcosm methods. Ecological Engg., 10 : 53-73.

  • Sarkar, U.K., Saha, B.K., Goswami, C. and Chowdhury, M.A.H. (2010). Leaf litter amendment in forest soil and their effect on the yield quality of red amaranth. J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ., 8 (2) : 221-226.

  • Sparks, D.L. and Huang, P.M. (1995). Physical chemistry of soil potassium. In: Potassium in Agriculture (Ed. Munson, R.D.). ASA/CSSA/SSSA, Madisn, WI, USA.

  • Stanford, G. (1978). Evaluation of ammonium release by alkaline permanganate extraction as an index of soil nitrogen availability. Soil Sci., 126:244-253.

  • Subbiah, B.V. and Asija, G.L. (1956). A rapid procedure for estimation of available N in soil, Curr. Sci., 25 : 259-260.

  • Surekha, K., Reddy, M. Narayana, Rao, K.V. and Cruz, P.C. Sta (2004). Evaluation of crop residue management practices for improving yields, nutrient balance and soil health under intensive rice-rice system. J. Indian Soc. Soil Sci., 52(4): 448-453.

  • Walkley, A. and Black, I.A. (1938). An examination of Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Sci., 37: 29-37.

  • Waring, R. H. and Schleslnger, W.H. (1985). Forest ecosystems: concepts and management. Academic Press, ORLANDO.


Abstract Views: 399

PDF Views: 2




  • Quantification of Litter Fall and Assessment of Nutrient Composition in Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris Var. Vulgaris) Plantation

Abstract Views: 399  |  PDF Views: 2

Authors

C. N. Hari Prasath
Department of Silviculture, Forest College and Research Institute, Mettupalayam (T.N.), India
A. Sudarshan
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur (Kerala), India
Praveen T. Goroji
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sirsi, Uttara Kannada (Karnataka), India

Abstract


To quantify the leaf litter bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris var. Vulgaris) plantation/year and assessing nutrient in litter an experiment was conducted in farmer's field at Kottur, Tanjore district during 2014 with three different type of spacing viz., 5 x 5m, 6 x 4m and 7 x 4m. The litter fall study was initiated during November 2013 and biometric parameters viz., tree height, DBH and number of culms were recorded. For litter fall quantification, green shade net was tied around the trees at different spacing and litter fall was quantified at 3 months intervals. Litter samples were collected and analysed for nutrient contents. Soil samples were collected, processed and analysed for changes in nutrient status. The result revealed that the growth of bamboo differed from tree spacing and it was observed that 7 x 4m spacing recorded maximum tree height (8.3m), number of culms (39.3) and DBH (4.4cm).The maximum quantity of litter fall observed in 6 x 4m of about 7000 kg ha-1 yr-1.The analytical result showed that the nitrogen content in bamboo was varied between 2.042 to 2.099 per cent, total phosphorus between 0.265 to 0.275 and total potassium between 1.061 to 1.072 per cent. With regard to changes in soil properties, soil pH was found to be slightly alkaline (7.48) in nature at the time of establishment of the plantation but over period of five years it decreased to acidic (6.26) and soil EC was decreased from 0.156 to 0.125 dS m-1. There was considerable improvement in available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium and organic carbon status from the initial status 260.3 kg ha -1, 25.63 kg ha -1, 140.63 kg ha -1 and 0.652 per cent to 314.82 kg ha-1, 34.27 kg ha -1, 206.50 kg ha -1 and 0.681 per cent, respectively.

Keywords


Litter Fall, Quantification, Soil, Nutrient, Spacing, Bamboo.

References