Abstract:

Currently, with the rapid development of rattan plantations, the management technique and economic benefit have been gaining more and more concerns from both the government and private sectors. This study aimed to determine the impact of harvesting regimes on economic benefit of rattan plantation, to evaluate the effect of interplanting of rattan on the growth and yield of upper tree, and to analyze the economic return of rattan interplanting to the mixed stand. Permanent plots for harvesting Daemonorops margaritae were established in the mixed stand and 5 different harvesting regimes were set, including first harvesting at 5,6,7,8,9 years and harvesting intervals of 8,7,6,5,4 years respectively. In addition, field investigation on the upper support tree, 19-year-old Pinus massoniana mixed with D.margaritae was made and 2 plots nearby were also established in pure stand to know the effect of rattan planting on the growth and yield of support trees. Harvesting regimes had eminent effect on economics of 13-year-old D.margaritae plantation. Under the regime of first harvesting at 9 years with 4 years' interval afterward, optimal economic benefit was gained in D.margaritae plantation, being 18 144 yuan·hm^-2, 13.45%, 1.32 in term of net present value (NPV), internal return rate (IRR) and the ratio of benefit to cost (B/C). The interplanting of D.margaritae had unfavorable effect on the mean diameter, tree height and tree number of Pinus massoniana stand. As a result, the net income and NPV from P. massoniana plantation interplanted with D.margaritae decreased by 7 500 yuan·hm^-2 and 3 000 yuan·hm^-2 respectively over those from pure stand. However, the economic loss in the upper stand could be compensated with the monetary gain from rattan plantation generating considerable economic benefit. The level of economic gain and the increment of NPV by interplanting D.margaritae with P. massoniana under various harvesting regimes were estimated to range from 3.07% to 12.74% and from 514 yuan·hm^-2 to 2 407 yuan·hm^-2 .

Key words: Daemonorops margaritae, Pinus massoniana, harvest regime, interplanting, economic analysis