Priority species of bamboo and rattan - Bioversity International

mm) areas with temperature range from 4 to 37°C. It commonly grows on the flat
alluvial deposits along the hilly streams inside the forests also along the banks of
rivers, water courses, grows up to 1500 m altitude.
CURRENT RESEARCH: Germplasm collection in N.E. India, more research needed on
all aspects. Cytology 2n = 70, 72 aneuploid.
CONSERVATION STATUS: Conservation programme not yet planned. The local people
have been conserving the species to some extent in their homestead and settled forest
areas. The species is domesticated in the villages as well as grows wild in the forest,
varieties found at low and high altitudes, need to be properly identified and conserved.
USES: Structural timber of medium quality, varied uses of the material from this
species include for building materials, thick walled material for furniture, edible shoots
(also for pickles) average quality, pulp for paper and a very wide range of handicrafts
and implements, wind breakers, flute making, fishing rods.
RESEARCH NEEDS:
1. Germplasm characterization for in situ and ex situ Conservation.
2. Propagation methods, selection and multiplication.
3. Exploration and identification of diversities in the region.
4. Identification of out of phase flowering types.
Bambusa vulgaris (= B. surinamensis)
Common Name: Common bamboo, Golden bamboo, Buddha’s belly bamboo
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This is a medium-sized bamboo, not densely tufted with culms 8–20 m tall. Culms with
yellow or green stripes, flowering not common. Internodes 25–35 cm long, 5–10 cm
diameter and thickness of wall ranges 7–15 mm. Inflorescence panicle, with many
spikelets, no seeds. Vegetative propagation methods – culm cuttings, rhizome planting,
branch cutting, layering, marcotting.
DISTRIBUTION: Bambusa vulgaris is a pantropical species. Origin of the species is unknown
but most commonly cultivated everywhere, especially the horticultural varieties with
yellow culms (Fig. 8), green culm varieties common in naturalized populations.
CLIMATE AND SOILS: It grows in a wide range of climates and on a range of soils;
up to about 1500 m, frost hardy up to –3°C; plants with green culms are more common,
drought resistant, very vigorous on moist soil.
CURRENT RESEARCH: Significant amount of work has been done on various aspects
– harvesting techniques, biology, physico-chemical and medicinal properties etc. In
vitro work, including in vitro plant regeneration via callogenesis and organogenesis.
Cytology 2n=72.
UNTAPPED POTENTIAL: Adaptation to semi-arid areas, and on degraded and flooded
lands. Three groups are recognized; a) green culm group B. vulgaris, var vulgaris, b)
yellow culm group – thicker walls than green culms, B. vulgaris var vittata, c) Buddha’s
belly group – B. vulgaris, cv wamin, indigenous to South China.
CONSERVATION STATUS: Not threatened since it is weedy, easy to propagate by
using rhizome, culm branch cutting and layering.