Abstract: In order to explore the feasibility of applying the air layering method for tea vegetative propagation, the yellowish-green stems were girdled, hormone treated and bound up, and then their changes of external morphology and the anatomical structure were observed and determined. The results showed that: (1) The adventitious roots could be induced and then grown out from the thicker stems above the wound of girdling before these stems were cut off, and these adventitious roots were more abundance and sturdy than those by the method of traditional cutting. (2) All the adventitious roots developed from induced primordial root because the primitive stem had no potential primordial root. (3) The callus inducted at the wound of girdling and the stem above the wound became thicker. It also showed that the stem with smaller callus tissue and thicker was easier to formed the adventitious root.

Key words: tea, vegetative propagation, air layering, girdling, adventitious root