Influence of rooting media and time of air layering on the rooting in air layers of pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Abstract

Due to the heavy demand for planting material, there is dire need for production on a large scale in the shortest possible time. Air layering also called as ‘gootee’ being thecommercial method in pomegranate has the advantage of being able to reproduce plants withbetter rooting than cuttings. The different time intervals of air layering and rooting media affect rooting and survival of air layers. Therefore, to evaluate the effect of time of air layering and rooting media on rooting, growth and survival ofair layers in pomegranate cv. Bhagwa a research trial was conducted during 2020-21 at thepomegranate block of orchard, Khalsa College, Amritsar with seven different air layeringtime (June 15, July1, July 15, August 1, August 15, September 1st and September 15th) along with two rootingmedia (Sphagnum moss and cocopeat) were assessed. The results showed that air layering performed on (August 15) proved to be significantly superior over all other treatments in terms of rooting intensity (78.66%), fresh and dry root weight (2.52 and1.17g) along withheight of rooted air layers (45.07 cm), number of leaves (60.50) per layer, fresh and dry(11.93 and 4.19 g) shoot weight and survival (70.95%). Amongst the rooting media, cocopeat was found to be effective for better rooting (62.95 %) and root parameters producing 9.06 roots per layer while sphagnum moss initiated rooting earlier rooting(27.10 days) andenhanced growth in terms of height of rooted air layers(40.58 cm), numberof leaves(43.57), of air layers of pomegranate. Hence, air layering in the month of August can be successfully employed for mass multiplication of pomegranate plants.