MINI-CUTTING OF Plathymenia reticulata Benth. WITH MINI-STUMPS CONDUCTED IN SUSPENDED SEED BED AND TUBES

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate the rooting of mini-cuttings from juvenile materials of Plathymenia reticulata and we hypothesized: (1) keeping propagules under mist chamber for different periods affects the rooting process; (2) the mini-stump management system due to the restriction of the root system affects the production of mini-cuttings and the quality of clonal seedlings. Two experiments were carried out: In the first, 30 days after staking, 40 mini-cuttings were randomly selected for rooting assessment. Then, 50% of the survived mini-cuttings were sent to the greenhouse and the remained were kept in the mist chamber. Every ten days, mini-cuttings from each environment were evaluated for rooting up to 60 days after staking. It’s not necessary more that 30 days in a mist chamber to induce rooting. The highest percentage of rooting was obtained at 50 days of staking. In the second experiment, mini-gardens were set up in suspended seed bed and tubes (280 cm³), whose productivity was monitored monthly. The average productivity of all collections of mini-cuttings in suspended seed bed and tubes was of 4.32 and 2.06, respectively, during 270 days of exploration of the mini-gardens. At 120 days after staking, there was no difference in the survival and in the final quality of clonal seedlings produced. However, clonal seedlings from mini-garden in tubes had higher height, leaf area, and number of first-order roots. Regardless of the mini-garden management, the clonal seedling production index was 50%. We can conclude that P. reticulata seedling production via mini-cutting technique is possible.