In tissue culture systems for propagation flowering of bamboo represents considerable risks since many bamboos flower monocarpically in nature and die completely after flowering. It is very important to be able to control flowering and reversion of flowering of bamboo. Therefore the influence of tissue culture flowering on vegetative growth post vitro has been studied extensively in three independent experiments (unpublished results). (1) plants of Bambusa tuldoides regenerated from pseudospikelets grow as vegetative plants after hardening; (2) In large scale vegetative propagation only two flowering plants of Phyllostachys have been observed after transplanting about 500000 plants, and (3) tests with Sasa palmata have shown that even when flowering plants are transplanted in the greenhouse, these revert to the vegetative state within a few weeks. These tests have shown that tissue culture technology does not lead to monocarpic flowering of saleable plants.
Using pseudospikelets as propagules we have now a system which can be used for propagation and for the induction of flowering and flowering structures. The same propagules can also be used for long term storage and for genetic transformation.