Decomposition of bamboo (Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Nees.) leaflitter in relation to age of jhum fallows in Northeast India

Summary Litter bags, containing bamboo (Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Nees.) leaf litter was used to compare the decomposition rates and microbial populations in litter under fallows of different ages. The age of the fallows were 0,5 and 10 years. All were developed after Jhum (shifting) cultivation. It was found that the fastest rate of decomposition occurred in the 10 year and the slowest in the 0 year old fallow. Changes in the litter components followed the following trend: sugar > amino acid > hemicellulose > cellulose > lignin. Great fluctuations from month to month were found in the number of microbes. They reached their maximum during the rainy season. However, there was little variation in the composition of fungal taxa. Species of Penicillium, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Alternaria, yeasts and a dark sterile mycelia were dominant.