A comparative study to improve rooting of English lavender stems cuttings

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to compare the ability of two bacteria strains from Agrobacterium rhizogenes (DSM30200 and A4), yeast extract (0.5, 1 and 2 g/L) and indole butyric acid (IBA) (50, 100 and 150 mg/L) on rooting of the terminal cuttings of Lavandula angustifolia L plant. A .rhizogenes strains were more effective than most of the other treatments in increasing rooting percentage, roots number and increase of cuttings length except using IBA at 100 and 150 mg/L, as no significant differences were found between them. In contrast, the controls cuttings and cuttings treated with yeast at higher concentrations produced the lowest rooting percentage. Same trend treatments which showed higher rooting characteristics also recorded higher percentage of total carbohydrates, phenol and N percentage. On commercial scale use of two examined strains of A. rhizogenes for rooting of terminal cuttings of L. angustifolia can reduce the use of synthetic auxins like IBA. Key words: Agrobacterium, yeast extract, IBA, lavender, stem cutting.