Micropropagation of Bambusa balcooa Roxb.: Insights, challenges and sustainable approaches in cultivating this green gold

Bambusa balcooa (Family: Poaceae), synonymous with Arundarbor balcooa, is one of the most robust thick-walled bamboos in the genus Bambusa. Commonly known as Beema bamboo or female bamboo, it is an economically significant species cultivated extensively in tropical regions of Africa, Asia and beyond due to its high income-generating potential. In Northeast India, this edible bamboo is valued for its diverse applications, including biofuel production, paper manufacturing, medicinal uses, pest management and furniture making. The absence of seed production in the species necessitates reliance on vegetative propagation techniques. Among these, micropropagation has emerged as the most effective and reliable technique to meet the growing demand for this species. Our literature search identified various planting media compositions and concentrations for micropropagation. We identified thirty different studies describing different protocols for its successful establishment. Various studies have tried to identify the best composition for culture initiation, multiplication, maintenance and rooting, but pertinent information about acclimatisation and plant survival in the field has rarely been provided, reducing the reproducibility of protocols. We critically analyse optimal protocols for each stage of micropropagation, namely shoot initiation, shoot multiplication, root induction and hardening and highlight opportunities for future research to enhance propagation efficiency. This will contribute to the sustainable propagation and utilisation of B. balcooa, addressing global demands and ecological challenges.