This study determined the rooting level of three meristematic materials of bamboo culm (culm plaques, primary sprout buds and secondary buds) planted in different substrates, prepared with a misture of organic material, ashes and fine sand. The meristematic materials were obtained from two years culms of Bambusa vulgaris Schrad, collected at a plantation at the "Centro Experimental de Campinas", State of São Paulo, Brazil. The experiment was carried out under a plastic metting during 110 days. The containers for substrates were of the following dimensions: 50 x 30 x 10 cm, respectively by length, width and height. The highest rooting percentage was obtained in the culm plaque (59.7%) followed by primary sprout buds (41.0%) and secondary buds (3.5%). The culm plaques can be easily obtained in great quantity during the normal harvest and in function of their dimension and form they easily can be stored and transported. The utilization of culm plaques represents a new method of asexual propagation of Bambusa vulgaris, with a large advantage in comparison with the conventional methods.
bamboo; Bambusa vulgaris Schrad; asexual propagation; culm plaques; primary and secondary buds