Effect of microbial fertilizers and growth media on the rooting of passion fruit (cv. Possum Purple) cuttings

Abstract

Propagation by cuttings is widely used in the commercial propagation of passion fruits. In propagation with cuttings, hormones are generally applied to promote rooting. However, there is limited research on the use of microbial fertilizer for the rooting purpose of passion fruit cuttings. In the present study, perlite and vermiculite were used as rooting media, along with different doses of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (750 and 1500 ppm) and microbial fertilizer (Best-doll), which contains seven different bacteria species, including Penicillium bilaii, Bacillus megaterium, Azospirillum brasilense, and Arthrobacter viscosus, Azotobacter vinelandii, Azotobacter chroococcum, and Pseudomonas spp. (5000 and 10000 ppm). These were tested for rooting in semi-woody cuttings of the cultivar passion fruit var. ‘Possum Purple’. The Passiflora cuttings of the ‘Possum Purple’ cultivar successfully rooted four and a half months after planting. The results indicated that the lowest rooting rate was observed in indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) treatments. Conversely, perlite emerged as the most effective rooting medium for ‘Possum Purple’ cuttings. The application of 5000 ppm microbial fertilizer led to a higher root thickness compared to other treatments. However, there were no statistical differences among treatments regarding the longest and average root length in the rooting media. Based on the findings, the concentration of 5000 ppm microbial fertilizer and the use of perlite as a rooting medium is recommended for achieving the highest rooting levels and seedling quality.