Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the carbon sequestration potential of Bambusa nutans. The total biomass and its components of B. nutans were estimated for one, two, three and four years old culm separately. The results revealed that the culm height and DBH reached their maximum capacity within one year and did not increase after that. However, all other biomass components increased gradually with age from one year to four years old culm. The highest culm dry weight (23.28 kg/culm), branch dry weight (2.79 kg/culm), AGB (26.68 kg/culm), rhizome dry weight (2.30 kg/rhizome) and grand total biomass (28.98 kg/culm) were recorded in four years old culm, while highest leaf dry weight (0.70 kg/culm) was found in three years old culm. On the other hand, the lowest culm dry weight (17.04 kg/culm), branch dry weight (1.93 kg/culm), leaf dry weight (0.58 kg/culm), AGB (19.55 kg/culm), rhizome dry weight (1.70 kg/rhizome) and grand total biomass (21.25 kg/culm) were recorded in one year old culm. The AGB of 201.02 t/ha and grand total biomass of 218.02 t/ha were recorded in 5th year of bamboo plantation in 2013 which in terms of carbon were 88.95 and 96.46 t/ha at the rate of 22.24 and 24.12 t/ha/year, respectively.