Adaptation Trial of Bamboo Species in West Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Bamboo is the fastest growing perennial plant. Once the rhizome-root system is well established, new bamboo shoots attain full height and diameter within 2–3 months. Bamboo provides goods and services useful to mankind. It is a source for food, fodder, furniture, building materials, paper, particle board, energy, and medicine. Therefore the study was conducted to evaluate adaptation of six introduced bamboo species with local variety as control. Activity was conducted at Negele Arsi and Kofale districts. Among the introduced species four species namely Dendrocalamus diannanensis, Dendrocalamus fuminesis, Dendrocalamus asper and Dendrocalamus yunnanis were significantly different (p<0.5) from the rest species in terms of height, DBH, RCD, Internodes length and number of nods at Negele arsi. High survival rate was also recorded for those species. While at kofale district only four introduced bamboo species (Dendrocalamus diannanensis, Dendrocalamus fuminesis, Dendrocalamus asper and Dendrocalamus yunnanis) were survived and Bambusa longinternode and Dendrocalamus barbatus were completely damaged due to extreme low temperature. Therefore the study and observation made showed clearly that Dendrocalamus diannanensis, Dendrocalamus fuminesis, Dendrocalamus asper and Dendrocalamus yunnanis were the most adapted species to the study environment and must be popularized and scaled up in the study area for further production.