Estimating Standing Bamboo Culm Density in Three Genera Using the Pilodyn® Wood Tester

Accurately estimating culm density in standing bamboo is essential for assessing its mechanical performance, especially for grading materials in structural applications. Despite its importance, direct and minimally destructive methods for this purpose remain underutilized. This study investigated the use of the Pilodyn® wood tester as a noninvasive tool for estimating bamboo culm density through penetration depth measurements. In total, 72 culms from 12 species across 3 genera (Gigantochloa, Bambusa, and Dendrocalamus) were sampled from the Bogor Botanical Gardens, Indonesia. Measurements were taken at varying culm heights and positions within the clump. A predictive model was developed to identify the relationship between penetration depth and culm density. Results revealed variation among species and clump positions. Dendrocalamus giganteus exhibited the highest average green culm density (0.98 g/cm³) and the lowest mean penetration depth (13.0 mm), indicating high resistance. Conversely, Gigantochloa atter showed the lowest density (0.86 g/cm³) and greatest penetration depth (30.0 mm). Additionally, culms from the inner layer of the clump demonstrated higher densities (0.97 g/cm³) and shallower penetration depths (16.21 mm) compared with those from the outermost layer (density: 0.90 g/cm³; penetration depth: 22.94 mm). A strong negative correlation was found between penetration depth and green culm density (R2 = 0.8676), indicating that penetration resistance, measured with Pilodyn®, is a reliable proxy for culm density. These findings support the Pilodyn® wood tester’s use as a practical, minimally destructive tool for rapid bamboo density estimation, with promising applications in field-based structural quality screening.