Etiolation and indolbutyric acid in the Olea europaea cv. Maria da Fé minicuttings

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effect of etiolation and the usage of indolbutyric acid (IBA) in the propagation of Olea europaea cv. Maria da Fe minicuttings. The experimental outline is a completely randomized design, with a 2 x 3 bifactorial scheme [minicuttings from plants with and without etiolation and three concentrations of indolbutyric acid (0, 1,000, and 2,000 mg L-1)]. After 110 days, the following has been evaluated: percentage of survival, foliar retention and rooting, number of roots, length of the largest root, root dry matter mass and percentage of unrooted minicuttings with calluses. For the percentage of survival, foliar retention and rooting, number of roots and root dry matter mass, there has only been significance for IBA concentrations, and in general, the IBA 1,000 mg L-1 concentration provided the highest scores. For the length of the largest root and minicuttings with non-rooted callus, there has been interaction between treatments, with the lowest scores for callus formation in the minicuttings with etiolation and without IBA. It can be concluded that the minicutting of Olea europaea cv. Maria da Fe can be carried out without etiolation in the mother plants, using 1,000 mg L-1 of IBA.