Synergistic interaction between morpho-physiological traits linked with the propagation of bamboo species through culm and rhizome (offset) cuttings

Abstract

Bamboo is one of the non-timber forest products used extensively for a variety of purposes; however, efforts to maintain and improve its cultivation are outweighed by its numerous uses, leading to its decrease in the natural world. Therefore, to sustain the bamboo resource base and enhance the livelihoods of rural communities dependent on bamboo, the development of efficient propagation techniques for bamboo is urgently needed. Bamboo is propagated mostly via vegetative means as the availability of seeds is infrequent and scarce. Therefore, in this study, multiplication techniques employing either culm cuttings or rhizome (offset) cuttings were standardized in eight bamboo species, i.e. Bambusa multiplex, Bambusa balcooa, Bambusa tuldoides ‘ventricosa’, Gigantochloa takserah, Dendrocalamus giganteus, Phyllostachys pubescens, Phyllostachys aurea ‘Aurea’ and Phyllostachys nigra ‘nigra’. D. giganteus showed the highest propagation efficiency through culm cutting, while P. pubescens showed the highest propagation efficiency through rhizome (offset) cuttings. Data on various phenotypic and photosynthetic traits regulating propagation efficiency were measured and correlated. The correlation analysis showed differential regulation of phenotypic and photosynthetic traits with genotypes and propagation techniques. Thus, the current study demonstrates the efficient propagation methodologies of eight bamboo species, through either culm or rhizome (offset) cuttings. The existing trade-off between phenotypic and photosynthetic traits has been reported as a key bottleneck to improving bamboo breeding programs. Breeding of these traits by pyramiding favourable alleles in related clusters provides a potential strategy for crop improvement.