Bambusa balcooa Roxb: A farmer’s species of choice in Assam

Abstract

NorthEast India is considered as the high potential area of bamboos where occurrences of 90 species of bamboos are recorded. Among them 41 species are reported as endemic to that region. Northeast Indian states are also called as "Bamboo Queen of India". The bamboo also called poor man's timber is one of the most countable forestry species which play an important role in biodiversity conservation and climate control. Assam is very rich in forest tree resources including various species of bamboo and cane. It plays a vital part in lifestyle and rural economy of Assam. Forests of Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong, Nagaon and North Lakhimpur districts can be specially mentioned. The important species of bamboo of economic value are the Bhaluka bamboo (bambusa balcooa), Jati bamboo (Bambusa tulda), Muli (Melocanna bambusoides), Dalu (Teinostachyum dalloa), Khang (Dendrocalmus longispatnus), Kaligoda (Oxytenanthera nigrociliata) and Pecha (Dendrocalamus Hamiltonii). Bambusa balcooa species is most commercially viable species under genus Bambusa due to its thickest and largest robust culms commonly used in construction purposes of house, other frame works and in making of agricultural implements, baskets, bridges and also for making paper. The article discusses in brief about the most economically viable species Bambusa balcooa under genus Bambusa.