Plant Protection

The bamboo plantations in Kerala do not face any serious insect problems. Young plants, however, are likely to be affected by shoot borers and sap suckers. In bamboo nurseries, damping off caused by Rhizoctonia solani is a major disease. It can be controlled by prophylactic fungicidal treatment and by regulation of shade and watering. In young plantations, rhizome bud rot (Pythium sp., Fusarium sp.), rhizome decay (Pseudomonas sp.) and basal culm decay (Fusarium sp.) are important.