Relationship between Growth Site Factors and Silvicultural Treatment on Productivity of Kayu Bawang (Dysoxylum mollissimum Blume) in People’s Forest of Bengkulu.

Abstract

Kayu bawang (Dysoxylum mollissimum Blume) is a local species which is considered as superior in Bengkulu and is used as construction wood. Wood of this species is resistant toward termite attack, has aroma like onion, and is bitter. Kayu bawang has good quality wood, belongs to resistance level B, or resistance level which ranges from fairly resistant to resistant toward termite attack. Kayu bawang has straight stem and is categorized as fast growing species. Planting of kayu bawang has varied productivity. This research was aimed at determining the relationship between growth site factors and silvicultural treatments on productivity of kayu bawang. This study conducted on communities forest in North and Central Bengkulu District, Province of Bengkulu. In this research, principal component analysis was used and silvicultural treatment was analyzed descriptively in qualitative manner. Research results showed that growth site factors which were negatively correlated with productivity of kayu bawang in the research location were slope, altitude, and percentage of light intensity. The optimum planting of kayu bawang in the research location was at slopes ranging between 0-20%, altitude ranging between 23-65 m asl, and percentage of light intensity ranging between 9-19%. Productivity of kayu bawang at poor condition of growth site could be improved through appropriate silvicultural treatment. Silvicultural treatments which had been practiced by the people were still not good yet. Planting stocks being planted were usually originated from natural regeneration. Planting was done in irregular manner (random). Activities of soil tillage, weeding, and prunning were seldom practiced. Besides that, activities of replanting of failure, fertilizer application and thinning were never conducted.

Pembangunan hutan rakyat merupakan salah satu upaya untuk menyediakan bahan baku dalam memenuhi kebutuhan kayu konsumsi nasional, hal ini dikarenakan semakin menurunnya persediaan bahan baku dari hutan alam produksi. Strategi meningkatkan produksi kayu dapat dilakukan membangun dan memperluas hutan rakyat di berbagai daerah. Jenis kayu yang telah dikembangkan di hutan rakyat antara lain sengon, pulai, gmelina, mindi, kayu afrika dan kayu bawang.