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 growth periodicity of clum and rhizome in Melocanna baccifera clumps were studied. The culm emergence is maximum in July to mid September. It was observed that everyday only the middle internode of a developing culm elongated maximum and moved gradually in successive order from the base to the tip of the culm. The lower internodes rarely elongated. The movement and elongation ofrhizome neck in the clump seemed to take place either slowly or actively throughout the year irrespective of seasonal variation. The culm emergence and rhizome neck development took place simultaneously. The growth periodicity of underground rhizome system and culm on the ground was found to be interrelated and seemed to be alternating with each other. Periodicity for culm emergence and rhizome neck development in M. baccifera was influenced by both soil and air temperature and ambient moisture condition.
The life cycle of Melocanna baccifera (Roxb.) Kurz plant ends with flowering, so the
species is a semelparous in nature. In a population flowering is initially sporadic which
gradually becomes gregarious and then again turns into sporadic before mass scale
death of the clumps. The flowering continues in a specific direction like a “wave”, with
a period of 12 to 14 years or more, spreading over the whole forest area. Details of
inflorescence character, flowering nature, anthesis and fruiting behaviour have been
discussed. Unlike most other bamboos, this species produces fleshy green pear-shaped
fruits (seeds). The “seed” viability and germination pattern were studied. The problem
and management system of natural regeneration after the death of flowering clumps
were also discussed.
It was estimated that the species exhibited more than one flowering cycle
(interseeding period) in different localities of Bangladesh-India-Myanmar region. Some
populations have 30-35 years of flowering cycle, and others may have further longer (45,
60,65 years) or shorter (7-10,19-21,25,26,27 years) duration. It appears that there exists
a number of flowering population in the region and they might be isolated from each
other by reproductive time. In the boundary areas, however, populations are likely to
overlap with each other and some of the clumps may flower after shorter, and others
after longer periods or in between. Enormous genetic variabilities arc expected within
this vast natural habitat due to such diversities in flowering cycle that offers opportunities
for selection and improvement of the species.
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