Traditional and Modern Techniques for Bamboo Preservation

Abstract

Bamboo has long been associated with people's basic needs all around the world. It is typical in rural India for each family to have its own bamboo clumps for supplying their daily usage. The most easily available species having more economic importance are enlisted in the INBAR priority list. Bamboo has found its way into everyday life as a building material, agricultural implements, in paper and pulp industries, as well as in a plethora of other applications. Bamboo was excluded from the classification of trees in the Indian Forest (Amendment) Act of 2017. This reform in legislation alleviated the restraints encountered by farmers initially. As a result, bamboo grown in non-forest locations can be picked and transported with ease. This paves the way for the widespread utilization of bamboo for a variety of purposes, particularly in rural areas. Bamboo, however, is susceptible to attack from various bio-degrading agents like microorganisms and insects due to its high moisture content and sugar content. Infecting microorganisms are generally sap-staining fungi that readily decolorize the bamboo and boring insects, which greatly limits the applications of bamboo. Owing to bamboo's susceptibility to decay, preservation is primarily required for its development in utilization sectors. For preservation and drying, bamboo and wood can be treated in a variety of ways. This article outlines several methods of bamboo preservation treatment.