Factors Causing Losses of Rooted Cuttings of Olive Propagated under Mist and Ways of Its Prevention

Abstract

To study the reasons for the losses of rooted semihardwood cuttings of olive propagated under the mist method, a 2-year experiment was carried out at the Horticulture Dept. of Faculty of Agriculture of the Tehran Univ. In this experiment, semihardwood cuttings of olive (Zard cultivar) in four different media—heavy-(Al), semi-heavy(A2), medium (A3), and light (A4), all disinfected with two different concentrations of Captan—were used. Root growth stages with low, medium, and light densities in spring and fall were evaluated. The results indicate that there are the least losses in semi-heavy (A2) and medium (A3) media. This could be the result of a better ventilation conditions in these media, which activates N and Ca and finally accelerates the better growth conditions in all young rooted cuttings. On the other hand, it was clear that inadequate disinfection will result in losses of rooted cuttings, and using Captan at 2 ppm gives the best result. This research indicate that, with the higher growth rate, the first medium will have the fewer losses. The reason is the higher density and more durability and strength of the root, which control the disease-causing factors; so far that these factors do not influence the young roots. Finally, strong and dense roots show less losses. This experiment was designed in a factorial with randomized complete block and the averages were compared in a Duncan test and the results of abnormally distributed characteristics were shown by using logarithmic and sinus method.