MINI-CUTTING OF Eucalyptus benthamii: EFFECT OF THE GENOTYPE, IBA, ZINC, BORON AND SHOOTS COLLECTION

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the induction of adventitious rooting in Eucalyptus benthamii mini-cuttings regarding to genotype, Zn and B concentrations, shoot collections and IBA application. Shoots for the mini-cuttings confection were collected from mini-stumps fertigated with nutrient solutions containing different concentrations of Zn and B (S1 – free of Zn and B, S2 – 0.5 mg L-1 Zn, S3 – 0.5 mg L-1 B, S4 – 0.5 mg L-1 Zn and B, S5 – 1.0 mg L-1 Zn and B, S6 – 2.0 mg L-1 Zn and B). The basal portion of the mini-cuttings was immersed for 10 s in a solution containing 2,000 mg L-1 IBA. A free IBA solution was used as control. The mini-cuttings survival in greenhouse, shade-house and in full sun area were evaluated. In full sun area, only the rooted mini-cuttings were evaluated, and of these, the total length of the root system was measured. The adventitious rooting of Eucalyptus benthamii mini-cuttings depended of the genotype, Zn and B concentrations, shoots collections and IBA application. In general, the adventitious rooting percentage was low, and the genotypes were considered difficult to propagation by mini-cuttings technique. The mini-cuttings collected of mini-stumps fertigated with nutrient solutions S5 (1.0 mg L-1 Zn and B) and S6 (2.0 mg L-1 Zn and B) associated with the presence of IBA in the concentration of 2,000 mg L-1 presented the greater adventitious rooting percentage.