Influence of Rooting Hormone and Media on In-situ Rooting Success of Eucalyptus Stem Cutting

Abstract

ABSTRACT Improved vegetative propagation methods are needed for Eucalyptus hybrids because demand for Eucalyptus hybrids and clones is often greater than their seed supply. Since mass vegetative propagation through cuttings is the most preferred for global plantation commercial use, this study evaluated the influence of rooting hormone and media on in-situ rooting success of eucalyptus stem cuttings. This experiment was set in a 2x3x3x3 factorial experimental design with, two types of clones (GC796/2 and GC550), 3 concentrations levels (60, 80 and 0ml/L) of Indole-3- butyric Acid (IBA) and replicated three times. The untreated cuttings were used as control. All the cuttings were placed into three different rooting media (red soil, lake sand and pine bark) after being systematically treated with fungicides and dipped in respective IBA hormones. Cuttings were undisturbed and monitored in the polythene tunnels for rooting under a shade net for 60 days. Cuttings were uprooted carefully and assessed for different variables (dead/alive, number of leaves, number of buds, callusing, root numbers and root length of rooted cuttings for each stem) and recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance to test the hypothesis (P>0.05). Results indicated that the highest percentage survival (90.4%) was in the hybrid GC796/2(E. grandis x E.camuldulensis) rotted in lake sand followed by 88.9% in red soil and 86.3% in pine bark rooting media. Lake sand (LS) and IBA (60ml/L) produced the best root length of 10.4cm followed by Red soil (RS) and IBA (60ml/L) with 8.6cm and lastly Pine Bark (PB) and IBA (60ml/L) with 2.4cm. For the clones GC550, cuttings dipped in IBA (60ml/L) planted in Lake Sand rooting media (LS/IBA/60) had the best results of all the variables evaluated and therefore is recommended as the best rooting hormone and rooting media respectively for cutting propagation of GC796/2 and GC550 although there were better routings in GC796/2 than in GC550 stem cuttings. The use of Red Soil as rooting media can also be recommended since it had better results compared to Lake Sand and Pine Bark rooting media. Further studies on how Eucalyptus clone stem cuttings can perform in the rooting media of Pine Bark mixed with Lake Sand of improved water porosity within the root systems. Keywords: Eucalyptus hybrids and clones, rooting, rooting media, IBA .