Giant reed (Arundo donax L.) is a tall, perennial, rhizomatous
grass that can be regarded as an ideal plant for energy feedstock
production owing to several intrinsic characteristics: it is drought
tolerant and cold resistant; it requires few agronomic inputs; it
has low susceptibility to pest and diseases; it is highly competitive
against weed; and it is an obligate vegetative propagated plant
(Ceotto and Di Candilo, 2010).