Le Thu Hien, Nguyen Tu Kim, Lưu Quoc Thanh
Forest Plant Resource Research Division
Rattan is a non-timber forest product species. Due to its highly commercial value, in recent years, rattan is widely planted with two popular growing patterns: in the home garden and under the canopy of forests. This paper aims to introduce planting techniques from nursery to plantation with a special focus on the combination of local knowledge and scientific research results.
Research materials were collected from some research projects, research and application projects, and household models, and classified into different planting purposes. The data collection methodology was sample survey and interview of growers, researchers and local specialists.
In rattan seedling production, seeds were mostly collected from plantations or natural bunches without certification of seed quality for seedling production. Seeds ripen from April to June after flowering in the spring. It can be recognised when the colour of fruit containing seed turns to yellow or a light colour, with a sour taste and black colour of seed. Good quality seeds should be collected from the mother stems of 7 year old, straight and vigorous growing, and size of 3200-3500 fruits/kg. For germination, put fruits in the warm water, and then hip in sand. Another method is to remove the cover, sowing on the nursery bed, and cover with straw and burn. After germination, transplant the seedlings into polyethylene pots which contain the mix of soil with compost and NPK or phosphate fertiliser.
Rattan can be planted as a fence for home gardens or under secondary forest or plantations with a canopy coverage of 0.4-0.6. The preferable condition for growing is where there is a deep soil layer, high soil moisture, soil rich in humus and under 600m a.s.l. In the under canopy planting method, planting with 4 density models (1) 750 seedlings/ha: planting along the slashed strip of 2m width with the space of 8x5m; planting in patch of 3 holes each laid out as the 70cm equilateral triangle (750 holes/250 patchs); planting one seedling/hole; (2) 1000 seedlings/ha: planting along the slashed strip of 2m width with the space of 8x5m; planting in patch of 2 holes each with distance of 80cm (1000 holes/250 patchs); planting 2 seedlings/hole; (3) 1650 seedlings/ha: planting along the slashed strip of 1.5m width with the space of 4.5x4m; planting in patch of 3 holes each laid out as the 70cm equilateral triangle (1650 holes/550 patchs); planting one seedling/hole; and (4) 2200 seedlings/ha: planting along the slashed strip of 1.5m width with the space of 4.5x4m; planting in patch of 2 holes each with distance of 80cm (2200 holes/550 patchs); planting 2 seedlings/hole. For planting as home garden fence, it can be planted as single or double rows with 0.4-0.8m space. It can be either planted in patch of 3 holes each or in line of 10-12 seedlings/m.
Good seedling quality for planting is 18 month old seedlings, with 15cm height and vigorous growth. Planting season is spring or the rainy season. It can be planted in slashed strips or slashed gaps of 3m diameter. Hole size is 30x30x30cm which is fertilised with 2kg of compost or 0.2-0.3kg of micro-bio fertiliser. In the first 2-3 years, carry out weeding and earthing 2-3 times/year. Each time, additionally fertilise with 0.1kg of NPK.
After planting 3-4 years, first harvest can be carried out with the amount of one stem/bunch. For the following years, it can be cut annually with during of 1.5-2 stems/bunch. It can be cut any time of the year, but the most suitable time is dring the dry season.
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