Abstract: Giant reed (Arundo donax) is an important bio-energy crop belonging to the Poaceae family. The effects of different types and concentrations of growth regulators and plant rooting powder (agent) on the survival rate of cuttings from lateral branches of this plant were discussed in the present paper. The current-year lateral branches with axillary buds were used as cuttings, and dipped into solutions of IBA, NAA, IAA as well as rooting powder and agent at varied concentrations for 2 hours. Water was employed as the control check. Then the cuttings were planted into the cultivation matrix, and the survival rates were counted 15 d later. The results showed that the growth regulators in different types and concentrations could increase the survival rate of cuttings when compared to the control, in which NAA at 0.8 mg/L exhibited the highest survival rate of 50.00%, significantly higher than other treatments. Similarly, plant rooting powder and agent enhanced the survival rate also, and the rooting powder with a concentration of 0.625 g/L resulted in a rate of 40.00%, while the highest rate of 43.33% was recorded in 1.25 g/L of rooting agent. The growth regulators and rooting agent with optimal effects on cutting rooting were matched up to pre-treat the cuttings. However, the survival rate of the cuttings decreased obviously, with 25% as the highest value in combination of IAA at 0.05 mg/L and rooting agent at 5.0 g/L. Plant growth regulator NAA of 0.8 mg/L or plant rooting agent of 1.25 g/L were suggested to be the optimal solutions in the pretreatment of cuttings from lateral branches of giant reed in summer, which could effectively accelerate the cutting survival rate.

Key words: Giant reed (Arundo donax), cutting, growth regulator, rooting agent, survival rate