Plant growth and rhizome shoots of Agave angustifolia in different substrates, with fertigation and benzylaminopurine

Abstract

The species Agave angustifolia can be propagated asexually with offshoots from rhizomes, bulbils from inflorescence, and through micropropagation to supply the growing demand for quality plant material for new plantations. In this investigation, Agave angustifolia plants of different initial sizes were evaluated for growth and emission of rhizome shoots, after 14 months under different conditions of substrate, fertigation and application of cytokinins. Bulbils were collected from inflorescences of plants at two sites and classified into two size categories: small (≤ 7 cm) and large (> 7 cm). The bulbils were cultured for 14 months in pots with substrates that were mixtures of sand (A), soil (S), and bovine manure (Bm) (%): 1) A + S (0.3: 0.7); 2) A + S + Bm (0.3: 0.525: 0.175); 3) A + S + Bm (0.3: 0.35: 0.35); 4) A + S + Bm (0.3: 0.175: 0.525). The plants in each substrate were separated into groups for application of different types of irrigation: 1) water; 2) 50% Steiner’s nutritive solution, SNS-50%; 3) SNS-50% + 25 mg L-1 of benzylaminopurine. The results show that the emission of rhizome offshoots was affected by the substrate, type of irrigation and provenance of the plants. The plants in substrates 3 and 4 formed 2.2 rhizome offshoots, which was more than plants in the other substrates. The plants irrigated with water, SNS-50%, and SNS-50% + benzylaminopurine formed 1.1, 1.6 and 1.9 rhizome offshoots, respectively.