Moso bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. Its shoots can grow 100 cm in a period of just 24 hours if conditions are favorable. The 2.05-Gb assembly covers 95% of the genomic region. Gene prediction modeling identified 31,987 genes. Bamboo can be used to make paper, as well as to build rudimentary structures. Moso bamboo is the most commonly used type of bamboo in China’s bamboo textile industry. The decoded genome might also help alleviate food shortages for giant pandas.

CAS press release, February 26, 2013; Zhenghua PENG et al., Nature Genetics (2013) doi:10.1038/ng.2569