Introduction, mass multiplication and establishment of edible bamboo Dendrocalamus asper in India

Bamboo is an economically important and multi-purpose crop. In India, 126 species of bamboos are reported out of which 25 exotic species are introduced from Myanmar, China, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand. D. asper is native to China and is valued economically for its edible tender shoots. A tissue culture protocol was developed for large scale multiplciation of this plant. Successful hardening and acclimatization along with field transfer at number of places in India was carried out for its establishment.