Bamboo plants are currently attractive to researchers because of their versatile uses. Understanding the bamboos’ genetic level is needed to develop new varieties. Taxonomic identification is the basis for plant development. Bamboos were identified as their taxonomical morphological characters which are dependent on environmental factors. Molecular Marker techniques can be used to perform accurate genotype identification, which can be used for genetic diversity analyses. The RFLP, RAPD, AFLP, SSR, ISSR, iPBS, SCARS, SCoT, SRAP marker systems have been shown to be able to efficiently determine the genetic diversity of bamboo species based on genotyping. This paper summarizes research that aims to analyze the genetic diversity of bamboo species on a molecular basis.

This study aimed to understand the phenological changes in the shoots of temperate bamboo Phyllostachys spp. grown in Hungary, with a focus on how these changes were influenced by local climatic conditions. Data collected over two years on shoot phenology were analyzed with weather variables, especially air temperature and soil temperature. Shoot emergence date, shoot numbers, and shooting period were recorded within and between Phyllostachys spp. The date of shooting was observed between May and July, and species started shooting in May the most, followed by June. Only one species, P. sulphurea, started shoot emergence in July. Shoot emergence started earlier in 2022 than in 2023 and ranged from 3 days to 27 days. Bamboo shoot phenology was strongly influenced by the air temperature and soil temperature each year. According to our regression analysis, the dates of shoot emergence were influenced by air temperature (r² = 0.819) in 2022 and 2023 (r² = 0.781), and soil temperature also influenced shoot emergence (r² = 0.956) in 2022 and 2023 (r² = 0.769). Sharp air temperature changes between the shooting season and the period before shooting were considered as the reasons for early shooting. The soil temperature in April before the start of shoot emergence was 8.15 °C, increasing to 14.1 °C during shooting time in May. Abrupt fluctuations of air temperature between the shoot emergence season and the month prior to shooting commencement determined early shooting or late shooting. The soil temperature had to reach 9 °C or above prior to shooting time, as this was found to be a critical temperature for shoot emergence in Phyllostachys bamboo taxa.

The study of plant phenology is important nowadays since global climate-changing phenomena are impacting the growing patterns and growing periods of plants. Bamboo is of great importance to the agriculture and forestry of temperate, subtropical to tropical regions, especially of Asia. Although some temperate genera can thrive under different climatic conditions, from the Korean Peninsula to South China, it is not known how bamboo will be affected by climate change, so the collection of data related to bamboo phenology could be of interest to research related to climate change. In this review, we describe available data on the phenology of 8 temperate genera, including 79 species, varieties and forms and 4 subtropical–tropical bamboo genera, including 19 species. Primarily, culm shoot physiology is discussed with some reference to leaf phenology data, where available, as well as their interaction. Since the data available in Western literature is often limited to the definition of season rather than exact dates and periods of given months, there is still a great need to explore more about the exact phenology of individual bamboo species to be able to determine the impact of periodic changes in weather patterns or climate change on bamboo phenology in the future.

Molecular markers have been employed for decades to assess genetic diversity in the Phyllostachys genus. However, a more comprehensive understanding of genetic variation among Phyllostachys species is still needed to carry out accurate germplasm identification, clarify genetic relationships among taxa, and support the conservation and management of bamboo genetic resources. High genetic diversity within bamboo populations enhances their resilience and adaptability to environmental changes. In this study, we evaluated genetic variation across 96 genotypes representing 44 Phyllostachys species using eight simple sequence repeat markers. These markers detected 47 alleles in total, ranging from 3 to 11 per locus. A private allele (201 bp) was identified in Phyllostachys edulis and its associated forms using the PBM019 marker. Cluster analysis grouped the samples into three clusters: 22 genotypes in Cluster I, 54 in Cluster II, and 21 in Cluster III. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) corroborated these clusters, revealing interspecific genetic divergence alongside high intraspecific and intra-form similarity, except in Phyllostachys arcana where two related forms exhibited clear genetic differentiation and clustered separately in both analyses. The PBM021 marker showed the highest polymorphism, amplifying eight alleles in select genotypes (Phyllostachys angusta, P. mannii, P. bissetii, P. heteroclada). Overall, this research provides insights into genetic diversity and relationships among 96 bamboo genotypes.