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Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) and Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) are two major species, which have significant economic and research application value. At present, methods for interrogation of gene function in bamboo are limited and time consuming. Therefore, establishing an efficient transient expression system for bamboo is very useful for dissecting the function of candidate genes. In this study, we developed protocols for the transient transformation of protoplasts from different tissues in Moso bamboo and Ma bamboo and established the optimized protocol and materials for improving the efficiency of transient transformation. The results indicated that the transformation efficiency of protoplasts from 15-day-old etiolated seedlings was higher than other tissues, which were 44.7% in Moso bamboo and 35.2% in Ma bamboo. In addition, we also established an experimental approach for optimizing overexpression of external proteins using Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation of bamboo leaves and whole seedlings. Finally, we utilized the RUBY reporter for monitoring successful transformation samples with red color for downstream experiments in Moso bamboo. In summary, this study provides optimized protocols for the over-expression of candidate genes in protoplasts or bamboo leaves and whole seedlings.

The selection of superior lines is extremely important to improve the utilization rate and economic value of bamboo. In this research, 120 anther-regenerated bamboo lines were planted in the field, and the survival rate reached 84.2% one year after planting. During five years of observations, we continuously measured and recorded the number of shoots and the size of the new bamboo of these regenerated lines. The results showed that there were considerable differences in culm size and growth rate among the different lines. After comprehensive evaluation, we found that one of the lines (P82) had obvious advantages in culm size and growth rate compared with the others. The chromosome ploidy of line P82 and the other three lines (P38, P84, and P34) was detected. It was found that P82 was hexaploid, while the other three lines were dodecaploid. Nutritional components of the P82 shoots were further detected. The results showed that the content of soluble sugar was 1.4%, the content of free amino acid was 3.5 g·kg−1 (FW, fresh weight), and the content of protein was 14.8 g·kg−1 (FW), and there were no significant differences compared with the local wild mature bamboo. Anatomical analysis showed that the vascular bundle size of the line P82 (hexaploid) was significantly larger than that of line P38 (dodecaploid), and the length of parenchyma cells in the culm wall of line P82 was similar to that of line P38, however, the cell width of line P82 was significantly wider than that of line P38. In this study, the breeding of superior lines of regenerated bamboo plants from an anther culture was realized, which provided an example for a new method for selecting superior lines from an anther culture, and also enriched the resources of superior lines of D. latiflorus.

This study examined the effects of various dyestuffs and treatment conditions on the epidermis colour of ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus), moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens), and makino bamboo (P. makinoi). The objective was to determine the optimum approach for endowing the bamboo culms with a fascinating brown colour without removing their epidermis, which would increase the economic value of bamboo products. Experimental results revealed that an excellent brown colour was obtained when bamboo culms were treated with 0.25% CI Basic Brown 4 solution in an 80 °C water bath for 60 min (H° values of 37.9, 25.0, and 25.7° respectively). In addition, alkali-pretreated bamboo culms also exhibited a good brown colour dyeing when treated with 0.25% CI Basic Brown 4 at ambient temperature for 2 days (a* and b* values of 30.8 and 35.1 respectively). Furthermore, the use of an ultrasonic bath instead of a water bath can reduce the treatment time required for achieving an improvement in the effectiveness of brown colour dyeing of the bamboo epidermis. Results obtained from indoor light fastness tests demonstrated that more uniform dyeing and better colour fastness could be achieved by colour fixation post-treatment with 1% glacial acetic acid.

The objective of this study was to search for appropriate environmental-benign preservatives as green-colour protectors for the culms and leaves of ma bamboo ( Dendrocalamus latiflorus ), moso bamboo ( Phyllostachys pubescens ) and makino bamboo ( Phyllostachys makinoi ). Five water-borne copper-based preservatives, namely ammoniacal copper quaternary compound-type B (ACQ-B), copper azole-type A (CBA-A), copper azole-type B (CA-B), tanalith CY (TCY) and micronized copper quaternary (MCQ), were tested as green-colour protectors. Results revealed that excellent green-colour protection ( a * values of −13.2, −7.6 and −6.3, respectively) was obtained when the culms and leaves of ma bamboo, moso bamboo and makino bamboo culms were treated with 0.25% aqueous TCY solution in a 100 °C water bath for 2 h. Furthermore, to evaluate the effects of 0.25% TCY treatment on the green-colour fastness of bamboo culms, two exposure tests including indoor exposure and outdoor weathering were employed in this study. Results from the 6-month exposure tests in both indoor and outdoor environment demonstrated that specimens treated with 0.25% TCY exhibited good colourfastness. To improve the treatment efficacy in bamboo culms, both atmospheric pressure impregnation and vacuum pressure impregnation were used. The results indicated that green-colour protection could be obtained by the two impregnation treatments in 0.25% TCY solution.

The objective of this study was to find an effective method for treating ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus) and moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) using new water-based reagents containing copper. The effects of green-color protection using various treatments on bamboo culms were examined in this study. Two methods were used: heating in a water bath and ultrasonic dipping. The results revealed that excellent green-color protection (a* value of −6.2) was obtained when ma bamboo culms were treated with 0.25% ammoniacal copper quaternary compound-type B (ACQ-B) in a water bath at 100°C for 2 h. It was also found that the wettability of bamboo epidermis increasedsignificantly after pretreatment in a mixture of 1% KOH and surfactant in a water bath at 100°C for 30 min. Furthermore, pretreated moso bamboo culms exhibited excellent green-color protection after they were treated with 0.25% ACQ-B at 100°C for 2 h (a* value of −8.2). This novel treatment method definitely endows the bamboo culms with a fascinating green skin color and consequently could increase the economic value of bamboo products. No improvement in green-color protection was found when ultrasonic energy was added to the water bath at ambient temperature.

Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) treated with chromated phosphate (CP) exhibits an excellent green color. To understand the effects of the treatment sequence of CrO3 and H3PO4 and their interactions regarding green color protection, CrO3-H3PO4 and H3PO4-CrO3 two-step treatments plus a H3PO4-CrO3-H3PO4 three-step treatment were carried out in this study. Results revealed that the treatment sequence of CrO3 and H3PO4 definitely affects the effectiveness of bamboo color protection. Green color protection of ma bamboo culm could not be achieved by treating it with CrO3 or H3PO4 alone or with the H3PO4-CrO3 two-step treatment. Only by treating it with the CrO3-H3PO4 two-step treatment or the H3PO4-CrO3-H3PO4 three-step treatment did ma bamboo exhibit an excellent green color. The results indicated that bamboo reacts first with CrO3 and then forms an insoluble complex with H3PO4, which produces the green color on its epidermis. Chlorophyll analyses demonstrated that chlorophyll is not a key factor for green color protection. The green pigment was also formed when chlorophyll-free bamboo was treated with 2% CP at 60°C for 3h.

The objectives of this study were to find an appropriate method and process for treating ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus) with a chromium-free copper-phosphorous salt (CuP). The effects of the constituent ratios and concentrations of CuP as well as treatment conditions on the green colour protection were investigated. In addition, accelerated UV light fastness tests, indoor exposure tests, and outdoor weathering tests were also carried out to evaluate the colour fastness and durability of bamboo culms. The results demonstrated that an attractive green colour was obtained by treating ma bamboo with 1% CuP at 60 C for 3 h, using a 60:40 ratio of CuSO4 to H3PO4 in an aqueous solution. Compared with untreated bamboo culms, the CuP-treated samples had the brighter greenish skin and also provided better green colour fastness. After 180 days of indoor exposure, the a* value was slightly increased from 5.8 to 5.4. # 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

SummaryProcessed bamboo culms capable of maintaining the greenish color in their skin have increased economic value. The use of protectors to preserve the green color and to improve the color fastness of bamboo culms has, therefore, attracted great interest in the industry. In this paper three exposure tests, including accelerated UV lightfastness, outdoor weathering, and indoor exposure, were used to evaluate the color fastness of ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorusMunro) treated with chromium based reagents. Experimental results revealed that bamboo culms treated with CCP (chromated copper phosphate) or CP (chromated phosphate), both homemade by the authors, exhibited excellent color fastness. Among all inorganic salt-treated bamboo culms the CP-treated samples had the brighter greenish skin and also provided the best green color fastness. It was further noticed that ultraviolet light plays an important role on the color conversion of CrO3-treated bamboo. The green color becomes significantly enhanced with increased exposure time.

The objectives of this study were to search for appropriate chemical reagents without arsenic to use as green-color protectors for ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) culms and to compare the effectiveness of these reagents for green-color conservation. Bamboo culms treated with chromated copper phosphate (CCP) or chromated phosphate (CP), which were developed by us, exhibit a greener color than those treated with Boliden K-33 (type B chromated copper arsenate).The experimental results revealed that among the chemicals employed, CrO3 and H3PO4 were key components in conserving the green color of bamboo epidermis, and their ratio definitely affected the effectiveness of green-color conservation. When the CrO3/H3PO4 ratio was 1∶1, the treated bamboo culms displayed the greenest color. Among all the bamboo culms treated with different formulations of inorganic salts, the one treated with CP (1% CrO3, 1% H3PO4) had the best green-color conservation, enhanced by increasing the duration of treatment.