Productivity of Betung Bamboo (<i>Dendrocalamus Asper</i>) and Belangke Bamboo (<i>Gigantochloa Pruriens</i>) based on the site characteristics in North Sumatera, Indonesia

Abstract Indonesia’s role in international trade is very important because Indonesia is an agricultural country rich in natural resources and has a strategic geographical location. Export activities of raw materials in the form of wood have caused forests in Indonesia to decrease drastically recently. One alternative to wood is bamboo because it is often used as a construction material for rural houses, pulp and paper materials, and many more. One of the factors that affects the productivity of bamboo growth is the characteristics of the place where it grows. This study aims to identify the growth of mature bamboo and bamboo shoots based on soil characteristics. The method used in this study was to take soil samples from 3 plots in two locations with a depth of 0-30 cm. Soil samples were taken in a composite manner to measure soil pH, C-Organic, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, cation exchange capacity (CEC), Calcium, Potassium, and Magnesium. Then, bamboo and bamboo shoots were measured periodically. Measurements of mature bamboo were carried out once a week for 6 months. Bamboo measurement data was calculated based on the measurement’s initial growth and the measurement’s end. The results of the study obtained were that the pH was almost all acidic, C-Organic in Sei Bingei was high while in Pancurbatu was low, Nitrogen in Sei Bingei was high while in Pancurbatu was low, Phosphorus in the 2 locations was mostly high, some were low, Potassium in Sei Bingei was high, while in Pancurbatu was low, Calcium and Magnesium in the 2 locations were low, cation exchange capacity (CEC) in Sei Bingei was higher than in Pancurbatu. The growth of Belangke Bamboo and Betung Bamboo in the 2 locations was not much different. So, the soil characteristics in the 2 locations are very different, but the growth of the bamboo is not much different.