Genetics of Abiotic Stress Resistance in Bamboos

Abstract

Bamboos are among the most versatile plant species on earth and have immense potential in plants bamboos’ nature of living on same spot for decades makes them exposed for unceasing abiotic stresses. Abiotic stresses with adverse effects on bamboo growth, development and productivity includes drought, high salinity, extreme temperatures, etc. As bamboos are one of the forest habitants thriving on the earth’s surface, it’s among the great surprises to reveal the smart ways that bamboos deal with abiotic stress. Response to abiotic stress to bamboos are under biochemical ad genetic control. How bamboo performs under abiotic stress and its tolerance is guided by underlying molecular, physiological and cellular processes is the key to answer fundamental questions of bamboos reaction to abiotic stress. This chapter is poised to compile the recent scientific information about the genetic resistances of bamboos towards abiotic stress with a special focus on the underlying molecular mechanisms specific to bamboo. It also discusses the way forward on how to enhance bamboo productivity in the face of everchanging adverse effects of multiple abiotic stress.