Effects of Age and Height on Chemical Properties of Yushania Alpina Grown at Injibara District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

This paper studied the chemical composition of cultivated 3, 4 and 5 year-old highland bamboo (Y. alpina) which were classified into three position (top, medium and bottom) to determined the main compositions especially cellulose, lignin, extractive and ash content. From all culms representative samples were converted to the required size of wood chips to prepared sample for chemical testing. Then the specimens prepared from bottom, middle and top portions for the three ages were used to determine the chemical properties in accordance to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards except for cellulose test determined according to Kurschner and Hoffer method. All parameters in the experiment were expressed by percent based on dry basis. From this research, we have found small but significant increases in mean cellulose content from the base to the top of the culm at all three ages. The lignin content in Y. alpina species of bamboo is in the ranged of 23.04 to 30.03%. The mean values of the chemical constituents in 3, 4 and 5- year-old culms were 51.83, 54.94 and 49.78% for cellulose content, 28.28, 24.99 and 24.53% for lignin content, 7.8, 10.09, and 9.54% for alcohol-toluene extractive, respectively. In general, the comprehensive knowledge of the chemical components in the bamboo species will facilitate the use of the materials in the forestry industrial sector and help to enhance their utilization in the chemical and bio-chemical related industry.