Under　hydrothermal　conditions,　a　series　of　β-MnO2　microrod　catalysts　were　fabricated　using　different　manganese　precursors　(MnSO　4,　(CH3COO)2Mn·4H2O,　MnCl2·4H2O,　Mn(NO3)2·　4H2O).　The　as-prepared　β-MnO2　microrods　were　characterized　by　powder　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　N2　physical　adsorption,　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS),　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FT-IR).　The　characterization　results　showed　that　the　morphologies　and　crystallinity　of　MnO2　were　mainly　determined　by　the　hydrothermal　time　and　temperature.　Suitable　hydrothermal　time　and　temperature　produced　well　defined　β-MnO2　microrods　with　high　crystallinity.　The　obtained　β-MnO2　microrod　catalysts　were　applied　to　degrade　different　dyes　with　high　concentration　(methylene　blue　(MB),　methyl　orange　(MO),　rhodamine　B　(RB)　and　acid　orange　II　(AOII))　in　the　presence　of　H2O2.　The　catalytic　mechanism　was　discussed　and　a　Fenton-like　reaction　mechanism　was　proposed.　High　crystallinity　and　good　morphology　effectively　promoted　the　catalytic　performance　of　β-MnO2　microrods.　The　efficiencies　of　β-MnO2　microrods　in　degradation　of　different　dyes　are　markedly　different.　The　dye　degradation　rates　followed　the　order　of　MB　>　AOII　>　RB　>　MO.　Moreover,　the　β-MnO2　microrods　exhibited　high　stability　in　recycling　degradation,　which　suggests　promising　applications　in　practical　dye　pollutant　treatment.　©　2013　Elsevier　B.V.