Effect of media on the percentage of Cratoxylum arborescens cutting

Abstract

Gerunggang (Cratoxylum arborescens Blume.) is one of native peat swamp species which good potential for pulp material and rehabilitation. One factor affecting the success of vegetative propagation is rooting media. The objectived of this study was observed the suitability of four rooting medium for gerunggang cuttings i.e: river sand, mixture of peat+ rice husk (3:1), mixture of top soil+rice husk (3:1), and mixture of cocopeat+rice husk (2:1). A number of 20 gerunggang cuttings with 4 replication were tested at four rooting media during 16 weeks observation period. Some parameter were observed i.e: number of shoots, leaves and roots per cutting, length of primary root (cm), rooting speed, rooted percentage (%), and survival percentage (%). Different rooting media significantly affect (p<0.01) on number of buds per cutting and length of primary root. However, the type of rooting media did not significantly affect (p>0.05) to the number of leaves and roots per cutting, rooted percentage (%) and survival percentage (%). High rooting percentage was achieved by media topsoil+ricehusk with average of 67.50%, while the lowest percentage was obtained peat+ricehusk medium with average of 38.75%. A mixture of topsoil+rice husks (3:1) is a best medium for early growth of gerunggang cutting which indicate by best number of buds, leaves and roots per cutting, rooted percentage (%) and survival percentage (%). Survival rate of cutting in this research is ranging from 56.25% - 77.50%.