Abstract
The primary objectives of this study were to identify the ecotypes of the ‘longicaulis’ giant reed (Arundo donax L.) that are
winter-frost and cold tolerant in temperate climates on marginal lands and to perform biotechnological research on these
ecotypes. We searched for large ‘longicaulis’ giant reed ecotypes, which wintered successfully in spite of the 2012/2013 winter
frosts and sprouted from stem nodes in the spring of 2013 in three locations of the Balaton basin. Starting in vitro culture from
the buds of the secondary shoot of the full-grown plant on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium supplemented with 0.3 mg L-1
6-benzyl-aminopurine (BAP) and 0.05 mg L-1 1-naphthalene-acetic acid (NAA) was the most satisfactory during October. Our
experiments indicated that in vitro propagation by stem cuttings can be successfully performed from in vitro shoots (node number
increased with 0.2% NaCl treatment) on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium containing kinetin (3 mg L-1) and indole-3-acetic
acid (3 mg L-1). By combining our micro- and macropropagation methods based on propagation by stem cuttings, 400 to 450
plants can be produced from one in vitro shoot during 11 to 12 months of growth.