Growth and Carbon Storage of Different Spaced Rubber Tree (Hevea brasiliensis) Plantation at Bebeka Coffee Farm, South-West Ethiopia

The study on the growth and carbon storage of the seven years old Hevea brasiliensisplantation in Bebeka coffee farm was undertaken and analyzed through stratifiedrandomized block design with sub-sampling analysis of variances. Four randomizedstands per planting distance per block were taken as sample plots. The measured datawere diameter at breast height (1.3m above the ground); total tree height; merchantableheight has taken from field, while carbon density was calculated as = biomass density x45%. The 2m x 4m dominated with a mean of 13.05 ± 0.3cm followed by 2m x 3mplanting distance and the least is 2m x 2m diameter. The result of the study shows thatthe planting distance influences the diameter at breast height. The 2m x 4m weredominated with mean heights of 9.84 ± 3.13m and 5.9 ± 1.32m, respectively followed by2m x 2m and the least is the 2m x 3m. The 2mx4m dominated in C density with a meanof 52.13 ± 8.71Mg ha -1 followed by 2m x 3m and the least is 2m x 2m implying thatabove ground biomass of the plantation is affected by planting distance. The 2m x 4mspaced plantation is significantly different from other spacings while the result of 2m x3m and 2m x 2m spacing is not significant for both C and biomass density. C density ispositively related to all growth traits of Hevea brasiliensis, which indicates is a good Csink bases on the finding of the present study.