Bamboo is one of the most sustainable materials in nature due to its fast growth, rapid regeneration, outstanding mechanical properties, and applications in numerous industries. Latest technological advances have been allowing the plant to be studied and applied to exciting new projects. Being bamboo an icon of sustainable development, this book approaches the latest developments in the study of the plant, either as a natural resource or as a source of inspiration for more efficient designs. With the global urging demand for more sustainable practices, innovations in bamboo science and technology are key to the development of environmentally sound solutions.

Bamboo is one of the most sustainable materials in nature due to its fast growth, rapid regeneration, outstanding mechanical properties, and applications in numerous industries. Latest technological advances have been allowing the plant to be studied and applied to exciting new projects. Being bamboo an icon of sustainable development, this book approaches the latest developments in the study of the plant, either as a natural resource or as a source of inspiration for more efficient designs. With the global urging demand for more sustainable practices, innovations in bamboo science and technology are key to the development of environmentally sound solutions.

This book is the first comprehensive compilation describing the botanical traits, genetic resources, whole genome sequencing, Mitochondrial genome, transcriptomes of different organs with developmental stages, transcription factors, delineating gene evolution of gene family in Bambusoideae, alternative splicing (AS) and polyadenylation, case studies for economically important traits such as internode length, shoot fast growing, flowering, ageing and stress-resistant genes and small RNAs-mediated gene regulation of moso bamboo flowering and other developmental stages. Applications of transcriptome and genome approaches in moso bamboo in general and the prospects of transgenic breeding and genome editing technologies in bamboo are also discussed. Altogether, the book comprises eleven chapters covered over 200 pages authored by the researchers involved in genomic science, molecular biology, and breeding. This book appeals to graduate students, post-graduate students, research scholars, researchers, and industry players in the field of plantation bamboo in general, bamboo processing and bamboo garden owner and fans of bamboo culture in particular.

In this book I have collected many reports on the properties of bamboo. Since I started bamboo research in 1974, I have collected many publications on bamboo. However, in contacts with other researchers I became aware of the fact that several of these publications were unknown to them. Consequently their activities in research or in bamboo projects had to start at a lower level than if they had known some of these publications. Therefore, I discussed the need for a book like this with several colleagues, and I decided to start writing. In this book I present data on properties, as published by resear chers. Certainly it is not complete; e.g. the proceedings of the bamboo workshop in Cochin in November 1988 are not included; they arrived just too late to be taken into account. On the other hand, in writing this preface I realize I have forgotten my own thesis. I do apologize to any colleague whose relevant report is not taken into account as well. I like to express my feelings of respect to the board of my faculty: they allowed me to spend so much time on this book, and they gave a considerable financial support for the printing costs.

This book is intended for use both in the industry and the academia. It introduces the physical, chemical and the mechanical properties as well as the characterization of bamboo. Novel industrial applications in structural, non-structural, reinforcement, afforestation, land reclamation, environmental significance, textile, medical, geotechnical, hydraulic, food, pulp and the paper industries are addressed in detail. Bamboo has been used for centuries as a structural material as well as in diverse engineering applications, food and medicinal purposes, especially in Asia. As a natural fiber composite, bamboo has the potential for many developments in academic and industrial research. Current literature on composites tends to focus on bamboo as a plant or solely as a structural engineering material. This book seeks to bring together these two extremes and provides a holistic resource on the subject.