Abstract
Fundamental research on mineral nutrition of azalea has been restricted due to the lack of a model experimental system for growing azaleas in solution culture. The need to maintain a clean root system dictates that azalea cuttings be rooted in solution. A propagation system (HortScience 24:706) was used to root 10-cm long terminal shoot cuttings of azalea `Delaware Valley White' under intermittent mist in a greenhouse. Cutting bases were dipped in 8,000 mg/liter K-IBA for 40 seconds before rooting. Rooting percentages after 7 weeks were 6, 10, and 50% for rooting solutions of tap water, modified 20% Hoagland solution, and 2mM CaCl2, respectively. After an additional 5 weeks the rooting percentage had increased to 83% in the 2 mM CaCl2 treatment. Three other azalea cultivars were found to root much slower than `Delaware Valley White'. Acclimatization of rooted cuttings to the normal greenhouse environment is essential to prevent leaf necrosis and is accomplished by gradually reducing the misting frequency prior to removal from under intermittent mist.
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