BANGLADESH JOURNAL OF FOREST SCIENCE
A Half-yearly Peer Reviewed Journal of Bangladesh Forest Research Institute
A Half-yearly Peer Reviewed Journal of Bangladesh Forest Research Institute
The physical and mechanical properties of Jhau (Caswarma equisetifolia) grown in Chattogram
timber species were studied. The results indicate that jhau wood is fallen in very heavy and very
strong categories. The specific gravity and the volumetric shrinkage of Jhau timber is higher than
that of Chattogram teak which was recommended as standard for comparison of other timber
species in Bangladesh. The species can be used for house posts, agricultural implements, tool
handles and other household articles.
This experiment was conducted to evaluate the suitability of medium density fiberboard (MDF)
made from hybrid Acacia wood fiber as raw material and urea formaldehyde (UF) as resin binder.
Single layer fiberboards were fabricated by five different densities e.g. 700, 725, 750, 775 and 800
kg/m3 using hybrid Acacia wood fiber. Mechanical and physical properties including modulus of
rupture (MOR), internal bond strength (IB), thickness swelling (TS) and water absorption (WA) of
the fiberboards were tested according to the Indian Standard (IS 2380:1977). The results of the
physical and mechanical properties of the fiber boards were compared with Indian Standard (IS
12406: 2003), Euro Standard (D-6300, 1990) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
MDF standard (A208.2, 1994). The results showed that the 800 kg/m3 density fiberboards made
from hybrid Acacia wood had the best MOR value and maximum IB strength characteristics
among the others. For 800 kg/m3 density fiberboards the MOR value was above the Indian &
ANSI Standard but lower than the Euro Standard; and the IB strength value was above the Indian,
Euro & ANSI Standard specifications. Water absorption and thickness swelling properties were
used to determine the water resistance of the fiberboards.
This paper presents the assessment of both the natural and planted species
diversity of the Sitakunda Botanical Garden and Eco-park, Chattogram. A total
of 267 plant species from 101 families are recorded in three zones namely
disturbed, undisturbed and planted areas. Among them 153 plant species
recorded from the natural undisturbed area belonging to trees (45 species),
shrubs (44 species), herbs (34 species) and 30 species of climbers. Fifty two
species were documented from disturbed and planted areas. Mikania cordata,
Chromolaena odorata, Hyptis suaveolens, Mimosa pudica and Ageratum
conyzoides are dominant species in the disturbed zone and Ficus hispida are the
most dominant tree species in the undisturbed zone. The highest Importance
Value Index (IVI) showed 28.08 for Holarrhena antidysenterica and the lowest
1.05 for Mangifera sylvatica in natural patch. Syzygium fruticosum showed the
highest IVI of 27.81 and Pinus caribaea showed the lowest (0.93) IVI in
plantation site. Most of the species are regenerating from the root suckers.
Protection measures shall help the regeneration and conserve the species
diversity in this Botanical Garden and Eco-park.
The paper deals with seed germination and seedlings growth performance of Calamus erectus in the nursery and field conditions. Clean seeds were sown in the seed bed filled with soil and decomposed cow dung at 3sl ratio. Seeds started germination after 52 days of sowing and completed within 76 days with maximum 78% germination. The survival performance of the seedlings was determined by transferring the seedlings from germination bed to the polybags from 10-80 days after germination with 10 days interval. Optimum survival (100%) was found significant (p<0.05) transferring after 30-40 days of germination from seedbed to polybag. Plantation in the field was made with one year old seedling at 2.0 m x 2.0 m spacing. Average seedlings survival was 94% after one year of plantation in the field. Mean seedling height was recorded 94.6 cm after two years of planting. Survival of seedlings and growth performance in the field were satisfactory when one year old seedlings were out-planted. Clean or decoated seeds for nursery raising and one year old seedlings were found suitable for successful plantation raising of Calamus erectus.
In this study, six Trichoderma strains viz. Trichoderma virens
IMI-392430, T. pseudokoningii IMI-392431, T. harzianum IMI-392432, T.
harzianum IMI-392433, T. harzianum IMI-392434 and T. viride FPDTV and
one commercial formulation of Trichoderma (Bio derma) were evaluated alone
and in combination with F. solani, to assay their efficacy in suppressing root rot
disease and promoting growth and yield ofW. somnifera. A pot trial experiment
was conducted at the forest protection division nursery, Bangladesh Forest
Research Institute (BFRI), Chattogram, Bangladesh from July 2014 to
December 2014. Application of T. harzianum IMI-392433 alone (T12) or in
combination with F solani (T5) significantly (p = 0.05) decreased the area under
disease progress curve (AUDPC) (300.9 and 52.4) compared to F. solani (Tl)
treatment. The highest seed germination rate (90.4 %) and the highest growth
and yield were also recorded in the same treatment; while F. solani treatment
(Tl) alone significantly decreased these values. The correlation matrix showed
that root yield of W. somnifera had significant and positive correlation with
plant height (r = 0.734**), number of leaf (r = 0.725 **), number of primary
branch (r = 0.863 **), number of secondary branch (r = 0.878**), fresh shoot
weight (r = 0.749**), dry shoot weight (r = 0.708**), number of flower at
maximum flowering time (r = 0.734**), number of pod (r = 0.774**), number
of seed (r = 0.642**), hundred seeds weight (r = 0.688**), seed yield/plant (r =
0.817**), root length (r = 0.711**), root diameter (r = 0.970**) and fresh root
weight (r = 0.819**). The significant and negative correlation (r = – 0.619 **)
was observed with the root yield/plant and area under disease progress curve
(AUDPC). These results revealed that T. harzianum IMI-392433 has growth
promoting effects and this strain may be used as an effective biocontrol agent to
control root rot disease of W. somnifera.
Wood is widely used in all over the world because of its excellent
physical, mechanical and finishing properties. However, the machining and
handtool properties of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) wood were
ascertained for the characterization of working properties in this study. The
effects of machining properties, such as- planing, shaping, boring, mortising
and turning were tested on this wood species along with handtool test. The
evaluation of each test was based on frequency of occurrence of defect free
sample. The applications of two types of polishing materials, namely: shellac
and carpa were used for the purpose of finishing property evaluation. Each
sample was visually observed and classified based on five quality grades. This
wood showed an excellent working performance in all properties except
handtool property in planing test.
Selecting exceptionally Heritiera fames seedlings from nursery is a
promising and low-cost means of tree improvement, according to the study.
From 2010 to 2016, 18,000 outstanding seedlings were chosen from nursery in
the Sundarban and out planted. The final assessment as to efficiency of
seedlings selection from selected trees of top-dying affected and non-affected
(Healthy) areas awaits comparison of progeny from chosen selects with those
from similarly chosen controls to see how much of the phenotypic gain is truly
genetic. This investigation involved more selections and plantations than had
not been tried for H. fames in the past. The next step in evaluating nursery
selection is to compare progeny from selects with those of controls to see how
much of the phenotypic gain is truly genetic. The great promise of Ls, L4, L12,
Lie, Lso, L35 & L36 line of H. fames trees has been achieved with expected
superior genetic material of unknown origin. This is reflected in the high
variability observed in growth amongst individuals. Using advanced
propagation techniques, these can be cloned and potentially provide the genetic
base for a highly successful clonal forestry program for creation of top dying
resistant H. fomes trees.
A rapid micro-propagation protocol was established for Gynura
procumbens (Lour.) Merr., an important medicinal plant for the treatment of
various ailments such as diabetes, hypertension and urinary tract infection. The
shoot tips of three months old plants were used as the explants for the initiation
of in vitro culture in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with
Img/L BAP. Optimization of rapid proliferation of shoots was carried out by
culturing the in vitro derived shoots onto MS medium supplemented with
different concentrations of BAP and KIN (0.0, 0.5, 1.0,1.5, 2.0 mg/L). Maximum
shoot proliferations an average of 21.33 shoots were produced per culture from
each shoot in 1.0 mg/L BAP. The effect of different strength of sugar (10, 20, 30,
40, 50 gm/L) and sub culturing on culture medium were observed for
optimization of shoot producing. The micro-shoots produced normal roots within
two weeks of culture on the basic % MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L
IBA. The rooted plantlets of G. procumbens were transferred in soil and kept
under green house for hardening with a temperature of 25-29°C and 90% relative
humidity for two weeks. About 99% of the plantlets survived after two weeks of
transferring into polybag with soil:cowdung (3:1) in the nursery bed. The tissue
culture plants showed normal growth and development in poly bag within 6-8
weeks. The regenerated shoots were macro proliferated and produced a large
number of new plants in the nursery within a short period of time.
A nursery trial was conducted at National Forest Seed Centre, Seed
Orchard Division, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Chittagong to evaluate
the effect of storage condition and duration on germination of Agar seed. Agar
seed were stored at five different storage condition viz. open air (control), sand,
chalk powder, normal refrigerator (0-40C) and saw dust for different storage
durations viz. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33 and 36 days. Storage
condition, duration and their interaction were found significant on germination
of Agar seed. Refrigerator (0-40C) showed the highest germination (82%) at 3
days duration. It also prolonged the seed viability (12%) up to 33 days. Such
technique of maintaining viability of Agar seed may be useful for raising
seedlings and plantations at large scale.
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