A Rare Phenomena of Sporadic Flowering of Bambusa vulgaris (Bari) in Tripura

ARTICLE /Inventure:

By Pawan K Kaushik and Sariel T Reang

Bari bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris var. vulgaris) is also known as Jai Bamboo in Tripura. Flowering of Bari bamboo is rarely observed in Tripura. There has not been any previous report of flowering of Bari bamboo so far in the State.

This intriguing phenomenon of sporadic flowering is observed and reported in the month of Feb, 2017 at Dasda Road, North District of Tripura by a team of local volunteers and researchers visited from Centre for Forest-based Livelihoods and Extension (CFLE), Agartala.

After a long intervals and decades, individual stems bearing numerous flowers could be seen in Bari bamboo at Dasda Road, Tripura. Bari bamboo flowering was observed at Lathigram, Cachar District of Assam in December 2015 (Das et al., Indian Forester Journal, 143 (3), 2017) Bari bamboo has a long cycle of flowering of 150 years (R.S. Nadgauda, Bamboo flowering, 2002).

Flowering period of bamboo differs from species to species which occurs at long interval. This long interval leads to unavailability of seeds and seedlings for cultivation. Two species commonly Barak (Bambusa balcooa) and Bari (Bambusa vulgaris) rarely flower, but when flower; they never produce seeds (Nursery Manual, Tripura JICA Project, Tripura Forest Dept, Govt. of Tripura).

Since the current flowering in Bari bamboo is also a sporadic, the setting of seeds is not observed. Vegetative propagation of Bari bamboo is much successful through culm cutting, stem cutting and offset. Bari bamboo has versatile uses in making handicrafts, furniture, fencing and paper. Its edible shoots are also consumed at large by tribal communities in Tripura.

 

References

Das Chandra Mukta, Singnar Pator, Nath Jyoti Arun, Das Kumar Ashesh. 2017. Sporadic flowering of Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. Ex. Wendl in Cachar District of Assam, India. Indian Forester 143 (3):279-280

Nursery Manual, Tripura JICA project, Tripura Forest Department, Government of Tripura

www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/bambo-flowering-14755 (Date of access 14-08-2017)


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