Abstract
Root development of stem cuttings of Silver Germander (Teucrium fruticans) was investigated in relation to cutting type and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) treatment. Terminal cuttings of a clone grown in Sicily were trimmed to three types: terminal cuttings with apex (TWA), terminal cuttings without apex (TWOA) or sub-terminal cuttings (ST). To verify the cutting response to exogenous auxin, cuttings were dipped to a 2.0 cm depth in a 0.5% indole-3-butyric acid solution for 0, 5 or 7 minutes. Overall percent survival was 97 to 98%. Rooting percent, root number and root length were affected by cutting type and indole-3-butyric acid treatment. In general, TWA cuttings demonstrated a higher capacity to form roots than cuttings without apex (TWOA and ST cuttings). In absence of indole-3-butyric acid treatment, TWA and ST cuttings gave higher rooting percentages than TWOA cuttings. Exposing cuttings to indole-3-butyric acid improved percent rooting, number of roots per cutting and root length. The best results in terms of rooting percentage and root number per cuttings were obtained with TWA cuttings in combination with 7 min indole-3-butyric acid basal dip. However, cuttings taken farther down the stem, such as sub-terminal cuttings gave satisfactory rooting performance as well. We suggest that the use of all cutting types tested associated to indole-3-butyric acid basal dip for 5 or 7 min may be beneficial to propagators wishing to produce T. fruticans rooted cuttings with well-developed root system.
Highlights
The genus Teucrium belongs to the family Labiatae and contains more than 300 perennial herbs, shrubs and subshrubs mainly native to Mediterranean region and southwestern Asia (Bryant, 2003)
Percent rooting in terminal cuttings with apex (TWA) cuttings increased from 70% in absence of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) treatment to 100 and 96% in the presence of IBA for 5 and 7 min, respectively; percent rooting in terminal cuttings without apex (TWOA) cuttings increased from 56% in untreated control to 100% in cuttings receiving either 5 or 7 min IBA basal dips
Percent data recorded on sub-terminal cuttings (ST) cuttings paralleled data recorded on TWA and TWOA cuttings exposed to IBA giving higher performance than control
Summary
The genus Teucrium belongs to the family Labiatae and contains more than 300 perennial herbs, shrubs and subshrubs mainly native to Mediterranean region and southwestern Asia (Bryant, 2003). Cultivated for its attractive blue/violet flowers and evergreen foliage, graygreen above and silver-white beneath, T. fruticans is high drought tolerant and suitable for landscaping in areas with Mediterranean-type environment (Cassaniti et al, 2009; La Mantia et al, 2012; Lopez et al, 2006). The species has been characterized as difficult to propagate by cutting in certain periods of the year (Frangi and Nicola, 2004). To circumvent these problems micropropagation has been recommended (Frabetti et al, 2009). The effects of exogenous auxin on adventitious root formation in Teucrium species has been documented (Dirr and Heuser 1987; Frangi and Nicola 2004; Maloupa et al, 2008) no research on the influence of the morphological characteristics of the cuttings on rooting of T. fruticans has been reported. The aim of our study was to examine rooting of stem cuttings in relation to cutting type and IBA treatment duration in a T. fruticans clone grown in Sicily
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