ROOTING OF LIGNIFIED CUTTINGS FROM FOREST SPECIES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the rooting potential of lignified cuttings from 20 native forest species. Two different experiments were conducted and in both cases stem cuttings were about 15 to 20 cm in length. In the first experiment, cuttings from nine species were selected in four diameter classes, 5.0 mm, 9.0 mm, 14.5 mm and 24 mm on average. In the second experiment, cuttings from twenty species were treated with indolebutyric acid (AIB). Each treatment was replicated four times, with 10 randomly arranged cuttings per plot. In both experiments, propagules were placed in seedling tubes containing vermiculite and scorched rice husk at a 1:1 ratio (v:v). They were kept in a greenhouse for 45 days, after this measurements were taken of rooting percentage, number of roots and length of roots per cutting. In the first experiment, six cuttings rooted and rooting rates ranged from 2% to 88%. Best rooting and root system quality results were provided by cuttings 14.5mm in average diameter. As for the second experiment, nine species rooted and rooting percentage ranged from 0.5% to 88%, there being no significant  influence of the treatment using AIB.