C. N. Krishnankutty

Abstract

Volume-weight relations of stacked bamboo (Bambusa bambos) and reed (Ochlandra travancorica) were estimated for the first time, through field sampling in selected forest ranges in Kerala during the period February-March, 2000. Stacked volume refers to the volume of the stack closely packed with green poles (fresh utilisable portion of the culms immediately after felling) of bamboo or reed. Green weight refers to the weight of green bamboo or reed and ovendry weight refers to the weight in oven-dry condition. The estimated volume-weight relations are as follows: one cubic metre stacked green bamboo equals 0.268 tonne green weight (or 0.132 tonne oven-dry weight) and one cubic metre stacked green reed equals 0.207 tonne green weight (or 0.087 tonne oven-dry weight). The above figures are the multiplication factors for converting stacked volume (in vubic metre) to weight (in tonne). Therefore to convert a given volume (in cubic metre) of stacked green bamboo orreed to green or oven-dry weight (in tonne), the stacked volume has to be multiplied with the respective conversion factor.

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C. N. Krishnankutty

Abstract

Kerala rural Bamboo markets (Bamboo extracted from home-gardens is referred to as rural Bamboo) are dominated by a few private wholesale Bamboo depots in Palakkad District and is largely geared to meeting the demand from the neighbouring States. The survey of rural Bamhoo trade during the year 1994 in Kerala State, India, reveals that the major retail markets for Kerala rural Bamhoo are the consumption centres in the State of Tamil Nadu. During the year 1993-94, nearly 39% of rural Bamboo was sold to retail depots there, while 27% was brought directly by farmers for using as supports for banana (crops in Tamil Nadu. The trade to Karnataka State was 20%, while only 14% was consumed within Kerala. The Bamboo trade to Tamil Nadu has been declining due to shortage of supply. The real price of rural Bamboo has risen consistently and supply shortage, due to depletion of growing stock in home-gardens, seems to be the main reason behind the price increase. It is suggested to improve the growing stock of Bamboo in home-gardens through better management. The study also identifies the strength and vitality of Bamboo depots in the development of rural Bamboo resources.

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C. N. Krishnankutty , T. M. Manoharan , Mammen Chundamannil

Abstract

Bamboo (Bambusa bambos) from the forests of Kerala is allotted to the pulp industry by the government and its selling price is notified annually per metric tonne of standing bamboo. Weight of harvested bamboo is recorded at the factory gate after several days of felling. Due to loss of moisture from harvested bamboo, delay in weighing reduces its weight from that in the standing condition. The existing formula for accounting the change in weight is arbitrary and unscientific. This paper presents a set of better conversion factors which can be used to determine either the standing weight from the weight of harvested bamboo or the price payable for harvested bamboo from the notified price, after any period since harvest. Use of these conversion factors eliminates loss to either the government or pulp industry. For calculating the price payable for harvested bamboo, the notified price has to be multiplied by the conversion factor corresponding to its moisture content. For practical purposes, where the weight of harvested bamboo has already been converted to its weight at the standardised 50% moisture content, only the conversion factor of 0.9129 needs to be remembered to arrive at the price payable in any year. It is suggested that the selling price may henceforth be notified per metric tonne of bamboo at 50% moisture content, to avoid the need for any conversion factor.

Keywords

Bambusa bambos, Notified Price, Moisture Content, Conversion Factors

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C. N. Krishnankutty , Mammen Chundamannil

Abstract

Commercially important bamboo, Bambusa bambos (L.) Voss is the abundantly occurring in the forests of Kerala State in India. The average growing stock of B. bambos per ha in different stand density classes in the forests of Kerala was estimated through a statistically designed field survey in natural forests. The average number of culms per hectare ranges from 2741 in pure bamboo patches to 742 in poorly stocked bamboo areas. The estimated average green weight per ha is 147.8 metric tonnes in pure bamboo patches, 83.8 metric tonnes in medium density bamboo stands and 29.4 metric tonnes in areas with poor stocking. In terms of moisture free dry-matter content, the average oven-dry weight per hectare is 80.9 metric tonnes in pure bamboo patches, 45.9 metric tonnes in medium density bamboo stands and 16.1 metric tonnes in areas with poor stocking. The above estimates are useful for assessing the growing stock of bamboo in terms of either green weight or dry weight, when the area under bamboo in the forests in a region is known from field or aerial surveys.

Keywords

Bambusa bambos, Growing Stock per Hectare, Green Weight, Oven-dry Weight

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C. N. Krishnankutty

Abstract

Teak (Tectona grandis Linn.), jack (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamk.), anjily (A. hirsutus Lamk.), matty (Ailanthus triphysa Dennst.) and mango (Mangifera indica Linn.) trees are commercially and economically important tree species in home gardens of Kerala. Different types of volume prediction equations were developed for each species through regression analysis, using data on diameter (m³) at breast-height level (1.37 m from ground) of sample trees before felling and corresponding volume (m³) of commercial timber measured after felling. Volume of a tree refers to that under-bark of logs or billets with mid-girth (over-bark) 40 cm and above, in the case of teak, matty and mango trees. It refers to that under-sapwood (volume after removing sapwood) of logs with mid-girth (over-bark) 60 cm and above, in the case of jack and anjily trees. Using the best fitted equation selected from the set of 27 equations estimated for each species, volume estimates were predicted for those values of diameter corresponding to the values of girth at breast-height from 60 cm upwards with an interval of 5 cm. By tabulating the girth in cm and volume in m, volume tables were prepared for each species. The tables provide volume estimates corresponding to different values of girth at breastheight of trees which can easily be measured at site. The tables are useful to tree growers and purchasers, for obtaining an estimate of volume in a tree by referring the tables without felling the tree.

Keywords

Home Garden Trees, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Ailanthus triphysa, Tectona grandis Volume Tables

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