Physical properties of yellow bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris var. striata Lodd. ex Lindl) Culm in Axial direction

Forest Management Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia

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Abstract

Bamboo is well known for its ecological benefit, such as preventing erosion, regulating water management, and supporting climate change mitigation through high carbon sequestration. As renewable resource bamboo potentially reduce pressure on natural forests, due to its properties that similar to wood. However, the physical properties of bamboo still limited, especially report on yellow bamboo. Samples were taken from one bamboo clump, with three replicates at every 1 m from the base to the tip. The results showed that yellow bamboo has sympodial roots, a height of 11.5 m, a clump diameter of 106 cm, and yellow stems with green stripes, as well as thicker stem walls at the base. The moisture content of fresh bamboo ranged from 96.54-115.85% and air-dried bamboo from 14.17- 15.74%. The fresh specific gravity was 0.54-0.61; air-dry 0.67-0.84; and kiln-dry 0.69-0.84. Tangential shrinkage and total shrinkage ranged from 7.91-14.64%; 9.96-16.35%, radial shrinkage from 10.25-15.03%; 11.82-15.59%, and axial shrinkage from 0.26-0.53%; 0.36- 0.68%. The color change was very clear, from fresh to air-dry and kiln-dry conditions, with ΔE* > 5. This study aims to assess the suitability of bamboo as a building construction material from Mojosongo, Surakarta.