Bamboo blight, reported in Bangladesh in the early l970s, caused a large-scale mortality of bamboos in village groves during the 1 98Os and adversely affected the rural economy. No more new outbreaks have been reported from Bangladesh, but the present status is still uncertain. A similar disease affecting Bambusa nutans in village groves in the coastal belts of Orissa State, India, is spreading at a very fast pace. Even though a very elaborated symptomatology and possible etiology the disease are available, quantitative data on incidence, severity, and spread and extent of culm mortality are insufficient to make a disease impact assessment even at a lower scale. Culm rust and top blight in Phyllostachys stands in different provinces of China, and culm mosaic in B. oldhamii and Dendrocalamus latiflorus plantations in Taiwan-China are so widespread that they often have attained epidemic status. Large-scale mortality of culms and degradation of edible shoots by these diseases are posing threats to bamboo-based industries. Present information on the epidemiology of these diseases is insufficient, and disease control strategies adopted to check the diseases are often found inefficient. The same is true in the case of recently reported diseases like rot of growing and emerging culms in India, and witches'-broom and little leaf diseases reported elsewhere. This discrepancy seems to have arisen because bamboos till recently, were considered less important among forestry species and the diseases affecting them were treated as less significant. Moreover, a systematic approach was not followed in the study of bamboo diseases and their impacts.

The lacunae in knowledge regarding the distribution, etiology and epidemiology of the diseases, impact on economy, and appropriate control measures-especially for the potential diseases have to be filled in by well-organized studies. Such a step will providebetter understanding on the geographical distribution of bamboo diseases, causal organisms, their modes of dissemination and invasion, and spread of infection in relation to local weather condition and prevailing edaphic factors such as soil fertility, moisture availability and microsite conditions. Such information is required for Precise disease impact assessments, as well as for evolving disease management strategies appropriate to the bamboo species grown and the silvicultural system practised in a particular country or region. Thrust areas identified for future research are:

A systematic disease survey in bamboo nurseries
and stands in different bamboo-growing countries in Asia;

In-depth studies on the epidemiology of potential diseases such as bamboo blight, culm rust, top blight, little leaf, witches'-broom, culm mosaic, and rot of emerging and growing culms;

Development of appropriate silvicultural, chemical and biocontrol strategies against important
bamboo diseases;

Development of disease-resistant, high-yielding bamboo genotypes through selection, introduction and field screening; and

Mycorrhizal application to improve bamboo planting stocks and develop resistance against
soil-borne pathogens.

Fungal staining and decay of post-harvest culms is another important problem confronting bamboo-based industries in Asia. Decay can be minimized by adopting appropriate storage practices and prophylactic treatments. More information in this regard has to be generated, particularly, low-cost, locally available and environmentally safe chemicals, as well as their effective mode of treatment, have to be developed and tested. Also, emphasis should be given to select disease and decay management strategies appropriate, and at the same time economically viable and environmentally safe, to the local stand/stack management practices.