Bamboo Info(source:Bamboonet)

One-Node Culm Cutting Propagation of Giant Bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper) using Intermittent Mist Clonal Propagator
Floresca and Sayo (ISU) developed a technology for the propagation of giant bamboo by using intermittent mist clonal propagator.
Findings
• The mist provides a cooling effect and the cyclic (intermittent) misting provides a controlled environment of low temperature and high humidity; which favors root and shoot development of cuttings.
• Survival rate for one-node culm cuttings reached up to 80% compared to only 20% for branch cuttings.
• Under a glass house (or shed), propagating beds (1 mx 8 m, uncovered) filled with pure sand medium were used. One-node culm cuttings of D. asper were prepared and dipped into root hormone solution.
• Each propagating bed was equally divided to accommodate the cuttings. Automatice misting cycle was set at 10 seconds on and 5 minutes off duration.
• After 60 days, the seedlings were placed in polyethelyne pots filled with ordinary soil and then hardened in the nursery from 0.5 to 1 month.
• Propagation of 300 pieces one-node culm cuttings for 2 - 2.5 months will incur Php6,100 and Php9,000 for inputs and labor, respectively. Sales of 250 pieces of giant bamboo seedlings (assuming 80% survival rate) will have a gross income of P25,000.
Source: PCARRD, 2003. Highlights 2002, Los Baños, Laguna, 214p

Zafaralla and Malab (MMSU) developed a machine called "kawayan tile maker" (KTM) for processing bamboo butts into solid flat bamboo tiles suitable for flooring, parquet, panels, furniture, and handicraft.
The machine has five major operations with only one source of power: crosscutting, knot removing, width sizing, thickness sizing, and tile length cutting. The machine can produce tiles of 20-30 cm wide x 10 mm wide x 100 mm long in 25 seconds with a precision of 86-92%. The conversion output per butt is 69%. Only one operator is needed to operate the machine.
The eventual commercialization of the machine can benefit small-scale bamboo farmers since the cost of fabricating the machine is only US$538.46 or approximately Php28,000.
The machine is designed for village operations and is for pilot testing in areas with sufficient bamboo standes. Alongside is the promotion of bamboo tiles as construction and architectural materials as well as material for the furniture and handicraft industries.
Source: PCARRD, 2003. Highlights 2002, Los Baños, Laguna, 214p.
Glue-laminated bamboo and bamboo-wood combination
Bamboo has been globally recognized as an ecologically friendly substitute to the commonly used timber, Its strength, lightness combined with extraordinary hardness, range in size abundance, easy propagation and short gestation period make it suitable for various construction purposes. Alipon et. al (FPRDI) developed glue-laminated bamboo-wood combination for structural uses.
Two bamboo species, kauayan tinik (Bambusa blumeana) and botong (Dendrocalamus latiflorus) and one timber species, yemane (Gmelina arborea), were used in the study. The samples were laminated by using urea formaldehyde (UF) + ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) as Glue I and UF + isocyanite as Glue II. The effects of species, glue type, and type of laminates (either bamboo-bamboo or bamboo-wood) were evaluated based on dry and wet shear tests.
Findings
• Strength properties in bending and compression parallel to the grain and shear along glue line of laminated bamboo and composite bamboo-wood lamination were found to be comparable with those of traditional timber species used for general structural purposes such as beams, girders, flooring, etc.
• In the strength classification of wood devised at the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI), laminated bamboo was comparable to commercial timber species under Class 2 (moderately high strength) such as kamagong (Diospyrus discolor), molave (Vitex parviflora), and narra (Pterocarpus indicus). The composite bamboo-wood lamination fell under Class 3 (medium strength) to which Philippine mahogany species such as white lauan (Shorea contorta), red lauan (Shorea polysperma), bagtikan (Parashorea malaanonan), and tanguile (Shorea polysperma) belong.
Chemical removal of cutin from bamboo twigs and branches
Cutin is the waxy substance found on the substance found on thesurface of bamboo. It inhibits the adhesion of finishing materials. Palisoc (FPRDI) conducted a study on the chemical removal of cutin from twigs and branches of kauayan tinik (Bambusa blumeana) by boiling in disodium octaborate tetra hydrate (DOT) and slake lime at 5, 10, and 15% concentrations for 30 and 60 minutes. Treated samples were applied with nitrocellulose (NC) lacquer and painted to evaluate their finishing adhesion performance and hot-and-cold-check resistance following ASTMD1211-60 method.
Findings
• Kauayan-tinik twigs and branches treated with 5% DOT and 5% slake lime at 30 minutes boiling exhibited high finishing adhesion when NC lacquer was applied with one coat of sanding sealer.
• The hot-and-cold check test showed that NC lacquer and paint rated high in the three indices of finishing serviceability, appearance, integrity, and protection.
• Using the 5% DOT and boiling for 30 minutes, the chemical removal of cutin was P 0.70 less per piece of 60 cm long bamboo twigs and branches than manual scraping.

Growth performance of bontong (Dendroclamus sp.) wildlings.

Bontong is an erect clump-forming bamboo, which usually attains a height of 20m with culm diameter of 15 cm. It is generally used for construction. Culms are split for flooring and walling of low-cost houses. Decipulo et al. (DENR-ERDS Region X) determined the possibility of raising bamboo through wildlings and assessed its performance when applied with fertilizer. Guano and inorganic (14-14-14) were the fertilizers used in this study.
Findings

• Bontong can be successfully regenerated through seedlings/wildlings.

• The application of organic and inorganic fertilizer increased shoot/culm production, as well as height and diameter of bontong, although there was no significant difference among the treatments used.

• The ability of bamboo to produce more and bigger culm is generally influenced by moisture and not necessarily with fertilizer, although more shoots were produced by the fertilized clumps than the unfertilized ones.
Rejuvenating old kauayan tinik clumps.
To meet the increasing demand for bamboo, new plantations should be established and the productivity of existing clumps should be increased. Rejuvenating old clumps through the application of suitable cultural treatments such as sanitation cutting, cleaning, or fertilizer application offers a quick and cheap means of increasing the supply of bamboo. Rosario and Samsam (MMSU) conducted a study to: 1) determine the effects of cleaning or sanitation cutting on the shoot and culm production of old kauayan tinik clumps; 2) evaluate the response of old kauayan tinik clumps to complete fertilizer application; and 3) establish the cost-benefit derived from cleaning and fertilizer application on old kauayan tinik clumps.
Findings

• Cleaning of clumps enhanced the growth and development of new shoots and culms resulting to better quality of harvested culms. The harvesting cost was greatly reduced in cleaned clumps. Estimate of income obtained from the harvested culms was higher in the cleaned clumps.

• Complete fertilizer application had significant influence on the number, diameter, and height of shoots; number and diameter of culms; diameter and length of harvested culms; and potential income from the harvested culms.

• Applying 2.0 kg 14-14-14/clump per year to old kauayan tinik clumps can increase shoot and culm production. It can also enhance culm height and diameter growth and development, resulting to better quality of culms produced and ultimately more income per clump can be obtained.