A Monograph on Bamboo

The importance of Bamboo to rural community can hardly be over stressed since it is a versatile, multipurpose, forest species which contributes valuably towards the human economy providing a variety of goods. Even in today's world of plastic and steel this fastest growing species has not only maintained its place as a contributor of daily needs but also attained significance as an industrial raw material. There are about 75 genera and 1250 species of  bamboos, each of them having widely differing characteristics and uses, such as construction material, raw material for paper pulp and rayon, traditional cottage handicrafts and food, etc. Need has been felt for the dissemination of available technology and related information pertaining to successful raising of various bamboo species plantations at economical costs, under national afforestation programmes of  greening  the country. Towards the need an authentic but comprehensive and broad based compilation of information on bamboo has been felt for long. This monograph fulfills the above necessity and provides an insight into the theoretical and applied aspects of  bamboo cultivation in Asia.
 
It deals with distribution, management, protection, utilization and improvement aspects of different bamboo species and identifies the kind of knowledge and experience required in raising their successful plantations. Inter disciplinary in nature, this book also critically reviews the status of bamboo research and offers thoughtful directions for the future.