Bamboo
Bamboo (Bambuseae) is a perennial plant of the Poaceae grass family of the Bambusoideae subfamily (Crompton, 2006). Bamboo grows in shoots and consists of a culm (the hollow shoot), the node (the connecting joint), and the internode (the section between the nodes). Bamboo is self-propagating because of the underground storage stems, known as rhizomes (Crompton, 2006). Bamboo is considered one of the fastest growing plants in the world; as the plants are know to grow over 3 inches in one day, 30 days for a full height culm to grow, and it fully matures within 2 years (Meredith, 2009). Some species have been known to grow up to 100 ft in height. The root system is relatively shallow, as the roots do not reach more than 30 cm below the surface (Crompton, 2006).
Where and How Bamboo is Grown
More than 53 species of bamboo are found in Nepal (Bajracharya, Rajbhandary, & Das, 2012). Because of the varying species, there is no concentrated growing region but most are found in the rolling mid-hill region, Pahad region, of the eastern half of Nepal, with altitudes between 800-4000 metres above sea level (AGTrade Nepal Canada, n.d.). Bambusa nepalensis and Drepanostachyum annulatum are found in natural uncultivated forests, whereas Bambusa balcooa and Bambusa nutans only exist when cultivated (Bajracharya et. all, 2012). Nepalensis is the most commonly used type of bamboo to create textiles (Bajracharya et. all, 2012).
Bamboo can be planted at any time of the year in moderately acidic loamy soil, with minimal soil cultivation to allow for air penetration (Meredith, 2009).
Planting bamboo can be very simple intervention to benefit hillside farmers. Most species of bamboo must be propagated through some kind of division; through the detachment of the separation of bamboo culms (Crompton, 2006). The fallen flowering leaves from the shoots provide the necessary seeds that are able to get recycled back into the soil (Crompton, 2006). Because of its horizontal culm root system, bamboo is an excellent crop to prevent soil erosion (Alam, 2011).
Bamboo (Bambuseae) is a perennial plant of the Poaceae grass family of the Bambusoideae subfamily (Crompton, 2006). Bamboo grows in shoots and consists of a culm (the hollow shoot), the node (the connecting joint), and the internode (the section between the nodes). Bamboo is self-propagating because of the underground storage stems, known as rhizomes (Crompton, 2006). Bamboo is considered one of the fastest growing plants in the world; as the plants are know to grow over 3 inches in one day, 30 days for a full height culm to grow, and it fully matures within 2 years (Meredith, 2009). Some species have been known to grow up to 100 ft in height. The root system is relatively shallow, as the roots do not reach more than 30 cm below the surface (Crompton, 2006).
Where and How Bamboo is Grown
More than 53 species of bamboo are found in Nepal (Bajracharya, Rajbhandary, & Das, 2012). Because of the varying species, there is no concentrated growing region but most are found in the rolling mid-hill region, Pahad region, of the eastern half of Nepal, with altitudes between 800-4000 metres above sea level (AGTrade Nepal Canada, n.d.). Bambusa nepalensis and Drepanostachyum annulatum are found in natural uncultivated forests, whereas Bambusa balcooa and Bambusa nutans only exist when cultivated (Bajracharya et. all, 2012). Nepalensis is the most commonly used type of bamboo to create textiles (Bajracharya et. all, 2012).
Bamboo can be planted at any time of the year in moderately acidic loamy soil, with minimal soil cultivation to allow for air penetration (Meredith, 2009).
Planting bamboo can be very simple intervention to benefit hillside farmers. Most species of bamboo must be propagated through some kind of division; through the detachment of the separation of bamboo culms (Crompton, 2006). The fallen flowering leaves from the shoots provide the necessary seeds that are able to get recycled back into the soil (Crompton, 2006). Because of its horizontal culm root system, bamboo is an excellent crop to prevent soil erosion (Alam, 2011).