Study on Seed Germination and Seedlings Growth of Bamboo (Dendrocalamus hamiltonii)

Bamboos are naturally propagating both sexually and asexually from seeds and rhizomes. In this study two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse to evaluate the influence of seed orientation (embryo-end-up, lay-flat and embryo-end-down) and sowing depth (3, 6 and 9 mm) of the bamboo Dendrocalamus hamiltonii on seed germination, seedling survival and growth after 60 days. Factorial design in two blocks containing 90 samples was used. Plastic pots filled with a mixture of sand, agricultural soil and peat (rate 3:1:1 and 2:2:1, respectively). Seeds were sown in two soil treatments. Seed germination and seedling survival rates in first soil (3:1:1) were 24 and 66.6 percent and in second soil treatment (2:2:1) were 31.1 and 85.7 percent, respectively. Mean seedlings height was higher at 6 mm depths and embryo-end-down in both soil treatments (11.5 and 27.5), it had significant difference in two soil treatments (P < 0.05). Mean seedlings height didn't show significant difference among seed orientation and sowing depth.