Abstract
Propagation of the fig tree predominately uses hardwood cuttings obtained from pruning stock plants. With a view to optimising fig tree propagation, the effects of auxin and misting on the rooting of herbaceous and hardwood cuttings from the fig tree were evaluated. An experiment was set up in a 2x2x2 factorial design, with two types of cuttings (softwood and hardwood), two levels of auxin (0 and 1000 mg L -1 indolbutyric acid) and two environments (with and without misting). Thirty days after starting the experiment, rooting, root length, sprouting and losses were all evaluated. The interaction of the type of cutting and the auxin was significant for rooting, sprouting, root length and cutting loss. Misting did not affect the variables analysed. In the absence of auxin, there was no difference between the type of cutting for rooting, length of root and sprouting, while the application of auxin (1,000 mg L -1 ) produced a reduction in these variables. The production of fig tree seedlings can be made from either softwood or hardwood cuttings and does not require the use of auxin or misting.
Highlights
In the propagation of the fig tree (Ficus carica L.) the use of cuttings predominates
For those cuttings destined for treatment with auxin, the base was immersed for five seconds in a solution of indolebutyric acid of 1000 mg L-1 and inserted approximately 1/3 of their length into a plot which contained a substrate of washed river-sand, either with or without misting under greenhouse conditions
Rooting, sprouting and root length all showed significant differences depending on the auxin and type of cutting, with significant interaction between these factors
Summary
In the propagation of the fig tree (Ficus carica L.) the use of cuttings predominates. These are prepared from branches obtained when pruning that can be stored where they will be cultivated, or in a greenhouse in order to produce seedlings for subsequent transplanting. If rooted directly in the field, many fail when the plants take, and to compensate for this the use of two cuttings per hole is recommended (CHALFUN; HOFFMANN, 1997), increasing the amount of propagative material (NOGUEIRA et al, 2007). The use of auxin has shown excellent results in increasing the fixation index in fig tree cuttings (IOP et al, 2008; LAJUS et al, 2007; RAMOS; LEONEL; DAMATTO JUNIOR, 2008). Most work with propagation is carried out in conditions of high humidity with intermittent misting, which allows no evidence of the actual effect of auxin
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