Chapter 3: Standard protocols for in vitro propagation of bamboo with emphasis on axillary shoot proliferation

Abstract

Bamboo is a group of plants in which in vitro propagation truly offers an option to overcome the reported constraints of conventional propagation, allowing to potentially obtain large amounts of uniform selected plants. Plant in vitro propagation can occur following different pathways, i.e., activation of preexisting buds, organogenesis, and somatic embryogenesis, with the involvement of de novo formation of proliferating structures in the latter two. The utilization of preformed vegetative meristems to develop bamboo plants in vitro will be the subject of this chapter. Bamboo plants produce thin lateral branches in addition to the straight and comparatively massive culms. These side branches are the source of the single-node segments used as explants to start tissue cultures. After lateral bud sprouting, growth, and multiplication, rooting and acclimatization steps are necessary to obtain plants to be grown in the field. Considering the existence of recent and comprehensive review papers on the use of axillary shoot proliferation for bamboo mass propagation, we will try to set in this chapter common approaches to fulfill the requirements of the distinct taxa, in addition to emphasizing the most critical problems, and on how to counteract them to increase the chances of success.