Agroforestry of bamboo in Tana Toraja, Indonesia (a way combining plants inherited from ancestors)

Abstract

Bamboo plants are known as “renewable resources” and have high abundance, high biomass production that have economic and ecological value. Tana Toraja Regency is one of the tourist destinations in Indonesia which has culture that is very familiar with bamboo. There is the highest variety of bamboo species both common and endemic, that is supported by nature. Bamboo plant in an intercropping system with agricultural, forestry and plantation crops. The agroforestry system has long developed, that is a way of planting the ancestors. The structure of agroforestry stands with species of agricultural and plantation crops, by using descriptive methods, namely timber trees 22.2%, bamboo clumps 11%, plantation trees 37% and medicinal trees or vegetable 29.8%. A high proportion of timber trees and plant structure density were formed, consisting of 42 plant species divided into 4 strata. The density level (K) of Petung bamboo reaches 10-20 clump per hectare, which is below that of Tallang bamboo. The association within stand structure namely bamboo, sugar palm, uru and suren. Based on the structure for the further development of bamboo shoots, it is necessary to regulate the spacing between plants to achieve a balance in increasing the yield of commodity.