Introduction to Ma bamboo cultivation techniques

Ma bamboo is a giant dual-purpose bamboo with shoots and timber. It is mainly produced in subtropical areas and has a long history of cultivation. It is one of the important economic bamboo species in the Yangtze River Basin and its south. Ma bamboo is also called big-leaf black bamboo. The weight of a single shoot can reach more than 5 kilograms. The diameter of an adult bamboo can reach 20 to 25 centimeters, and the height of the bamboo can reach 25 meters. Ma bamboo grew slowly in the first two years, and entered a period of rapid growth from the third year, with the number of shoots produced and the diameter of the bamboo pole increasing rapidly. It is not only an economic plant, but also an ideal plant for greening riverbanks and barren hills and preventing soil erosion. Ma bamboo can grow well on both sides of rivers, on deserted beaches, on deserted slopes, in front of and behind houses, on the edges of fields, etc., where the temperature is -7°C to 42°C and the pH value is between 4.5 and 8. Its cultivation and management are extensive, and it is extremely susceptible to pests and diseases. Small, low investment cost, high economic value, one-time investment can provide long-term benefits. Generally, 111 plants (2 × 3 meters) or 222 plants (1.5 × 2 meters) are planted per mu. In the year of planting, each plant can generally produce 3 to 5 bamboo shoots, with an output of about 600 kilograms per mu. In the second year, the output of fresh bamboo shoots per mu is 2,000 to 3,000. Kilogram, the fourth year will enter the high-yield period. After entering the high-yield period, the output of fresh bamboo shoots per mu will be 10,000 to 16,000 kilograms, with an output value of more than 10,000 yuan. The bamboo shoot production period is from May to November every year, and the bamboo shoot production period lasts for more than half a year.

As a new type of food, bamboo shoots are becoming a best-selling commodity in the international and domestic markets, and the market potential is huge. As far as the domestic market is concerned, with a population of 1.4 billion in the country, if each person eats 1 kilogram of fresh bamboo shoots, millions of acres of high-yield bamboo shoot forests will need to be cultivated to meet their needs. At present, the consumption of bamboo shoot slices and dried bamboo shoots in the international market reaches more than 5 million tons, but the market is far from saturated, which shows that the market prospect is broad.

In addition to being used as bamboo shoots, the bamboo stalks of Ma bamboo are thick and straight, and can be used as building materials, bamboo rafts, water pipes, and for carrying. Ma Zhu bamboo has thick walls, but the bamboo is softer. It is processed into boards through craftsmanship, and its economic benefits are higher. Ma bamboo has huge leaves, 15 to 35 cm long and 4 to 8 cm wide. It can be used to make bamboo hats, boat canopies, raincoats and packaging supplies. In recent years, bamboo leaves have also been used to extract flavonoids, leaf proteins and some anti-aging substances, and to make bamboo leaf wine, bamboo juice drinks, etc.