Bamboos of India

Bamboos are perhaps the most widely used group of plants of wild origin in the tropics including most parts of India. There occur more than 130 species of bamboos in India with a wide distribution. They form a part of natural forests and grasslands and are also cultivated in many other areas. Bamboos help to meet the basic necessities of life including food, fuel, clothing and shelter and also provide various types of materials for commercial use including pulp and handicraft items. This book is a revised and enlarged version of the authors' book on Bamboos and Canes (1996). It contains chapters on Important Bamboos of India; Silviculture and Management; Protection; Natural Regeneration; Artificial Regeneration; Properties and Suitability; Seasoning and Preservation; Genetics, Biotechnology and Vegetative Propagation and Uses. A vast amount of published and unpublished literature has been consulted and hence no originality is claimed. It will be useful for foresters, scientists,, farmers and the layman.