Industrial Crop: Biomass  Management: Managed Multistem  Minor Global Crop  Other Systems: Multistrata  Other Systems: Strip intercrop

Succeeds in tropical and subtropical areas. The plant is widely adaptable to temperatures, tolerating occasional frosts with temperatures as low as -5c and summer heat as high as 45c[361 ]. It occurs naturally in tracts receiving as low as 750 mm of rainfall a year, but can also tolerate as much as 4,000mm[361 ]. Succeeds in full sun and in light shade[418 ]. Prefers well-drained, poor, coarse, grained and stony soils[361 ]. Succeeds on practically all types of soils provided there is good drainage[361 ]. It does not grow on water-logged or heavy soils such as pure clay or a mixture of clay and lime[361 ]. Well-drained localities with sandy loam are the best for bamboo growth[361 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 4.5 - 5.5, tolerating 4 - 6.5[418 ]. Established plants are drought tolerant[361 ]. Bamboos have an interesting method of growth. Each plant produces a number of new stems annually - these stems grow to their maximum height in their first year of growth, subsequent growth in the stem being limited to the production of new side branches and leaves. In the case of some mature tropical species the new stem could be as much as 30 metres tall, with daily increases in height of 30cm or more during their peak growth time. This makes them some of the fastest-growing species in the world[K ]. The new rhizomes of seedlings first bend downwards before curving upwards to form their aerial shoots - thus successive shoots are not only larger than the preceding ones but also arise from rhizomes that are deeper in the soil. Early shoots are thin, wiry and grass-like, but as the clump develops the new shoots become progressively more woody and larger. A clump is considered mature when it starts producing full-sized culms - in nature this can take 11-13 years, though in cultivation it can be as little as 6 years[310 ]. A mature clump grows in all directions, provided there are no obstructions (e.g. rocks or hard soil layers) until a balance is reached between the formation of new culms and the dying off of old culms. The ratio of new to old culms in a clump is usually 1:5[310 ]. Young shoots usually arise in the rainy season. Given sufficient rainfall, as many as 20 new culms may be produced annually from fair-sized clumps[310 ]. A mature clump contains on average 20 - 40 culms, but up to 200 are possible. Individual culms are considered mature when they are 3 years old but they can live for up to 15 years[310 ]. Bamboos in general are usually monocarpic, living for many years before flowering, then flowering and seeding profusely for a period of 1 - 3 years before usually dying. With this species, the gregarious flowering cycle varies from 25 - 65 years[310 , 361]. This does not mean that all the clumps will flower at the same time. The gregarious flowering commences with intensive sporadic flowering for 2 - 3 years, increasing progressively and resulting in the flowering of all the clumps in a period of five years[361 ]. Sporadic flowering is seen almost every year[361 ].

Carbon Farming

• Industrial Crop: Biomass  Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels
• Management: Managed Multistem  Regularly removing some multiple stems. A non-A non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
• Minor Global Crop  These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.
• Other Systems: Multistrata  Multistrata agroforests feature multiple layers of trees often with herbaceous perennials, annual crops, and livestock.
• Other Systems: Strip intercrop  Tree crops grown in rows with alternating annual crops.