Productivity improvement of edible bamboo shoot of existing plantation of Bambosa balcooa was assessed over three years in homestead of fringe villages of Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam. Edible shoots are harvested from first week of June to first week of September every year for consumption. Shoot emergence was recorded significantly high in treatment T2 during 2nd and 3rd year of the study. More or less same value was observed in shoot length and shoot weight in treatment T2 and T3. Application of fertilizer considerably increases nutrient status of soil. However, the percentage of organic carbon, total nitrogen available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium found significantly high during 2nd and 3rd year of study. At the harvesting stage less value of nutrient was recorded due to absorption by sprouted clums. Observation reveals that T2 is the best combination of NPK and plying vermicompost that improves growth of shoot and clum production significantly.
Giant panda foraging and movement patterns in response to bamboo shoot growth
