Propagation of Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ from Cuttings

Abstract

The effect of rooting medium, indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and node position were studied on rooting of tender purple fountaingrass, Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’. Three-hundred single-node culm cuttings were placed in a mist house in sand, peat, vermiculite, perlite, or a peat:perlite (1:1 by vol) mix. Within 42 days, 78% of the cuttings rooted, with the highest number of cuttings rooting in the peat or perlite media and the lowest number in the vermiculite medium. Cuttings from the most proximal node exhibited a significantly higher percentage of rooting and produced more roots than cuttings from more distal nodes. Rooting medium and nodal position of cutting interacted to affect root dry weight. IBA had no significant effect on rooting. Propagation of purple fountaingrass from culm cuttings offers an economically-attractive alternative to the conventional method of crown division.