Bheema Bamboo

Why in news?

• The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has designed an ‘oxygen park’ within its premises at Coimbatore with Beema Bamboo.

About the Bamboo:

• Beema or Bheema Bamboo is a superior clone, selected from Bambusa balcooa, a higher biomass yielding bamboo species. This bamboo clone has been developed by the conventional breeding method.
• This species is considered to be one of the fastest-growing plants. It grows one-and-a-half feet per day under tropical conditions. It is said to be the best ‘carbon sink’ to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions.
• A fully-grown bamboo tree may generate over 300 kilograms of oxygen annually and it may be sufficient for one person for one year.
• Beema Bamboo has been developed by N Bharathi of Growmore Biotech Ltd, the agri-technology company based at Hosur, Tamil Nadu. This clone is thorn-less and sterile.
• The plants developed through tissue culture are free from pest and disease, vigorous and superior and they can grow in the field for more than hundred years without any replanting.

• Beema Bamboo is not a product of genetically modified organisms. In this case, new culms only grow around the mother shoot and hence it is non-invasive. A culm is the hollow stem of a grass or cereal plant, especially that bearing the flower.
• As it is sterile, this bamboo does not produce any seed and does not die also for several hundred years and keeps growing without death. As a result, this particular bamboo species can be able to establish permanent green cover.
• Since the plants are produced through tissue culture, the culms grow almost solid and adapt to different soil and climatic conditions. After every harvest cycle, it re-grows and does not require replanting for decades.
• The bamboo’s calorific value is equal to that of coal. Cement industries are buying this bamboo species for their boilers. Bamboo fibre is used by the textile industry for making fabric and garments.

Prelims Question:

Consider the following statements on Beema Bamboo:
1.It has very high growth potential.
2. It is a genetically modified breed of bamboo.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to Prelims question