Advances in bamboo genomics: Growth and development, stress tolerance, and genetic engineering

Bamboo is a fast-growing and ecologically significant plant with immense economic value due to its applications in construction, textiles, and bioenergy. However, research on bamboo has been hindered by its long vegetative period, unpredictable flowering cycles, and challenges in genetic transformation. Recent developments in advanced sequencing and genetic engineering technologies have provided new insights into bamboo's evolutionary history, developmental biology, and stress resilience, paving the way for improved conservation and sustainable utilization. This review synthesizes the latest findings on bamboo's genomics, biotechnology, and the molecular mechanisms governing its growth, development, and stress response. Key genes and regulatory pathways controlling its rapid growth, internode elongation, rhizome development, culm lignification, flowering, and abiotic stress responses have been identified through multi-omics and functional studies. Complex interactions among transcription factors, epigenetic regulators, and functionally important genes shape bamboo's unique growth characteristics. Moreover, progress in genetic engineering techniques, including clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-based genome editing, has opened new avenues for targeted genetic improvements. However, technical challenges, particularly the complexity of polyploid bamboo genomes and inefficient regeneration systems, remain significant barriers to functional studies and large-scale breeding efforts. By integrating recent genomic discoveries with advancements in biotechnology, this review proposes potential strategies to overcome existing technological limitations and to accelerate the development of improved bamboo varieties. Continued efforts in multi-omics research, gene-editing applications, and sustainable cultivation practices will be essential for harnessing bamboo as a resilient and renewable resource for the future. The review presented here not only deepens our understanding of bamboo's genetic architecture but also provides a foundation for future research aimed at optimizing its ecological and industrial potential.