Abstract:Bamboo species (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) possess a distinct life history characterized by a predominance of rhizome-dependent asexual reproduction and erratic flowering at intervals of 1 year to 120 years. Some bamboo species are of notable economic, ecological and social significance throughout the World. Considerable progress has been made in bamboo research in the past few years. The advances in bamboo molecular biology since 2003 were reviewed, including the development and application of modern molecular tools in the taxonomy; the cloning and characterization of key genes involved in the critical biological processes of bamboo, such as rhizome bud development, rapid growth, flowering and stress-tolerance; the accomplishment of bamboo genome and transcriptome sequencing projects; and the establishment of genetic transformation systems. The progresses in bamboo molecular biology research provide new insights into further biological studies in Bamboo.
