Effect of Phytohormones on rooting behaviour in air layers of Phoebe cooperiana, an economically important tree species of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

This study reports the response of air layers of Phoebe cooperiana (Common name: Tapil) to different concentrations of rooting hormones in mid hills of Arunachal Pradesh. Ten trees between the ages of 7 and 10 were selected at Boleng village of Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, India for the experiment. Eight treatments comprising of IBA and NAA at concentrations of 1000ppm, 2000ppm and 3000ppm each, Rootex hormone for semi-hardwood and control were applied to a total of 240 layers during April 2020. After 60 days, rooting percentage, mean number of roots and length of the longest root were recorded. Significant variation (p<0.05) among treatments was observed for all root parameters. Among treatments, the highest rooting percentage and mean a number of roots were obtained in layers treated with NAA 3000ppm (80% and 21.33 respectively). The length of the longest root was the highest in layers treated with NBA 2000ppm (4.23cm). The highest survival percentage of layers two months after transplanting was observed in those treated with NAA 3000ppm (54.16%) and the least in control (23.07%). The technique offers an easy and cheap method of propagation for farmers as well as for government and private agencies to enhance seedling production of the species.