Among the tropical bamboos grown for shoots are: Edible Bamboo, Bambusa edulis, grown in Taiwan and used for shoot production but also building and paper pulp. Beechy Bamboo, Bambusa beecheyana is eaten in southern China, but the shoots must be boiled in two changes of water. Burmese Bamboo, Bambusa burmanica, shoots are eaten in Thailand.

Spiny Bamboo, Bambusa spinosa is used in the Philippines. Research on the nutritive value of this bamboo revealed that it had the highest levels of calcium, protein and phosphorus of the group of bamboos tested. Common Bamboo, B. vulgaris, which is not actually so common in Australia and its ornamental relative B. vulgaris Vittata, [Syn B. striata], also produce edible shoots, but these are said by some to be inedible because of bitterness. Giant Hedge Bamboo, B. bambos, [Syn. B. arundinacea] is a large and thorny species which forms useful impenetrable hedges. It has edible shoots which are pickled in Thailand. Asper Bamboo, Dendrocalamus asper, is one of the most favoured bamboos grown for shoots (and export) in Thailand. Bambusa blumeana is a bamboo which dislikes its roots being disturbed when young, but in India and Indonesia it is used as a building material, in basketry and its shoots are processed for eating.

Many other species including: Bambusa longispiculata, B. nutans, Dendrocalamus asper, D. latiflorus, D. giganteus (sweet enough to be eaten raw), D. merrilliana, D. membranaceus, D. strictus, Gigantochloa albociliata G. atter, G. robusta, G. levis, and Thyrsostachys siamensis produce edible shoots.

Establishing a plantation using large plants or even big divisions is very expensive. Smaller plantlets are needed. Sadly there is no sure-fire method of rapid propagation applicable to all the clumping bamboos. Most plantations are established using divisions of mature clumps. Some research work is proceeding on tissue culturing bamboos, but results are a little inconclusive except from some laboratories in India. These institutions seem to have established a reliable method of producing bamboo plants from callous tissue derived from seeds or immature plantlets, but the procedure has only recently been applied to bamboo in Australia. Micro-propagation techniques using emerging branchlets from mature culms might prove the most successful and cheapest method to establish a plantation, but this technique too needs more research.

There are several methods of obtaining vegetative propagules. They depend on access to mature plants of the desired species from which various kinds of cuttings may be taken. These develop into new plants using the food reserves conserved in the parent material. Not all bamboos respond to these propagation methods. They seem to work best with thick-walled Bambusa and Dendrocalamus species and require high humidity and soil warmth for greatest success.

Bend outer culms of a clump downwards after undercutting at the base and bury the culm in the soil after cutting off all but the main branches. After a few weeks, if soil temperatures are sufficiently high and moisture levels maintained, roots and shoots develop at the buried nodes. Saw off the culm sections bearing new plants and transplant these directly into the desired plantation area.

Whole 18 month old culms may be severed from adult clumps and planted in a shallow trench. Leave the top of the culm and a few branches intact and allow them to protrude above the ground. After some weeks, new roots and shoots develop at the nodes. Cut these from the parent culm and transplant them directly into the plantation site.

Make cuttings of culms with at least two internodes left intact. Trim branches from lower node. Plant prepared cuttings vertically in warm soil with the top of the culm and the branches left protruding. If using potting bags or pots, cover each with a clear or lightly frosted plastic bag tied in place after watering and leave in part shade until new roots protrude from drain holes. New roots and shoots are produced at the lower node. Single node cuttings planted on their side with the branch complement upwards will work with some species.

Propagation using branch cuttings has proved successful in some cases. In Bangladesh, Melocanna bacciffera has been successfully propagated in this way. Cut the whole complement of side branches from a culm using a sharp hacksaw and plant in warm soil. Maintain atmospheric humidity using the system described for double node cuttings. New roots appear at the base of side branches within a few months.

Obtaining new plants using these methods can take up to one year. A few more years of growth are necessary before young plants are strong enough to produce new shoots suitable for cutting as vegetables.

Manuring or fertilising should be undertaken regularly. Little and often is more productive than occasional heavy fertilisation. Fertilisers are used to promote the artificial regeneration of the bamboo especially when clumps are used for shoot production. The main nutrients needed include nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. These should be applied at least one month prior to the shoot production period.

A fertiliser regime which may be used as a guide when establishing a plantation is as follows:

Preplanting Potato E 3kg/10m² Muriate of Potash 150g/10m² Urea 200g/10m²

Maintenance Monthly applications of Urea at 100g/10m² during the active growth period.

 A slow release fertiliser consisting mainly of Potassium silicate has been claimed as beneficial to bamboo cropped for shoots. Trials to gauge effectiveness of this fertiliser have yet to be conducted in Australia. Similarly, Calcium silicate (cement) has been recommended as a suitable fertiliser to produce strong culms by increasing the cell-building silica the plants need, but this compound is expensive to use as a fertiliser.

As tropical bamboo species usually have a short rhizome neck structure they form clumps composed of close growing culms. Unless correctly managed by thinning regularly, clumps become so dense and congested that harvest of shoots and poles becomes almost impossible. Systematic and regular cutting can actually increase yields and leads to greater convenience in harvesting. Excessive cutting reduces yields and the clump is more susceptible to wind damage during storms.

When clumps mature and spread outwards, a modified 'keyhole' system for culling shoots and culms will allow greater access to the clump. Poles can be cut from the older and more mature inner part of the clump while shoots are harvested from the outer fringe. Rhizomes in the central portion of the clump contribute to the vigour of the whole clump. It is therefore inadvisable to completely remove this part for propagules without giving the plant an opportunity to establish new culms on the outer rim over a couple of growing seasons.

Shoots of clumping bamboos grow vigorously beneath the soil surface, finally breaking through into the light. At this stage they often pause in their growth. The reason for this is not known. However, exposure to sunlight causes the production of chemicals that are bitter and hastens shoot elongation by stimulating the development of a very woody base. Consequently, shoots should be dug when the tips are just emerging from the surface of the soil or very soon after that stage. A tell-tale bulge or cracks in the soil usually reveal the new shoot's location.

As new shoots arise from rhizomes which more-or-less radiate outwards from the clump they can be harvested without wholesale disturbance of the surrounding soil. Digging should proceed with care so that shoots are not bruised. Remove the soil from around the base of the emerging shoot, exposing the lower part of the rhizome neck. Carefully sever the last third of the shoot with a narrow hoe, machete or sharpened narrow-bladed spade. Slope the cut away from the narrow woody neck that connects the new culm with an older one. If the necks remaining in the soil have viable buds, some will produce a shoot in following seasons.

The annual yield of a bamboo clump depends on the number of new culms produced each year. This in turn is related to the production of young leaves. Culms become mature after two or three years. Prior to this stage, young culms contribute greatly to the health of the clump through photosynthesis in their new leaves. The foods they synthesize are partly consumed by leaves but the greater proportion is transported to the rhizomes. Here it is stored as energy which is converted into next year's growth of new shoots. If all the potential young culms (shoots) are cut from a clump through several annual cycles, the clump loses vigour as the rootstock becomes depleted of nutrients. This is why to maximise shoot output some shoots must be left each year to develop into leafy young culms. Large yields are produced in alternate years and so it advantageous for the intending farmer to have plantations of varying ages if a consistent supply of fresh shoots is required. Clearly it is a marketing advantage to have a number of plantations producing in sequence.

Fallen bamboo leaves mulch the soil surface. This layer of litter, along with the leaves still attached to the plant, protect soils from erosion during storms. Growers must realise that this covering can also prevent penetration of chemical fertilisers and water into the root area around the clump. Set up a regular schedule of checking the soil surface around each clump by raking away a portion of the leaf litter and mulch to ensure the correct levels of soil moisture are being maintained. Where water repellent and "waxy' soils occur it may be necessary to apply soluble fertilisers along with a wetting agent. This procedure will ensure that the root mass receives the benefit of watering and fertiliser application and that these nutrients do not simply run away from the clump.

The best time to establish a new plantation is just prior to the rainy season or the growing period (which may not coincide), usually during Spring or early Summer. In Australia this falls between the months of August and November. A rotational system for planting new groves should be established to allow for eventual loss of vigour of older clumps. Some plantation areas will be going out of production as new areas are brought in. Rotating the planting of new plants with clear-felling of exhausted clumps also allows time for replenishment of the soil.

For most species a spacing of from 6m to 8m between clump centres is usual. A plot with poorer soils should be planted at 8 metre centres and richer soils at 6 metre intervals. This spacing allows an annual harvest of both shoots and timber.