Propagation and seedling growth of some species used as ornamental hedges in landscape design

Tinuke Irene Odusanya,Olatunde Musibau Olosunde,Goke Jacob Bodunde,Christiana Olusola Owolabi,Joy Nwakaego Odedina

doi:10.1590/2447-536x.v25i4.2053

Tinuke Irene Odusanya, Olatunde Musibau Olosunde + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/2447-536x.v25i4.2053

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Journal: Ornamental Horticulture	Publication Date: Dec 1, 2019
Citations: 1	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Federal University of Agriculture

Abstract

Propagation and seedling growth characteristics of five plant species: Duranta repens (Yellow bush), Hamelia patens (Fire bush), Ficus retusa (Yellow ficus), Buxus sempervirens (Boxwood / West indies) and Acalypha wilkesiana (Copper leaf), were examined in the nursery as indices of suitability for use as hedge plants in the landscape. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replicates where the treatments were the plant species. Cuttings were cultivated in polyethylene pots filled with top soil medium. Data collected included: time to rooting, rooting percentage, number of leaves/plant, seedling height and stem girth. They were subjected to analysis of variance and means separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) at 5% probability level. It took Acalypha wilkesiana , Duranta repens and Hamelia patens species shortest time (21 days) to root while Buxus sempervirens and Ficus retusa took the longest time (28 days) for rooting. Duranta repens species produced the highest rooting percentage (80.5%) at 28 days after planting and the highest number of leaves/plant (15leaves). This study revealed Duranta repens as the easiest to propagate among these species. All plant species evaluated except Ficus retusa are easily propagated in the nursery thus indicating their potential suitability for commercial production in the nursery and use as hedge plants. Duranta repens and Buxus sempervirens are recommended as hedge plant choices based on their ease of propagation and early establishment.

Highlights

Succesful seedling establishment is largely dependent on the capacity of seedling to rapidly initiate roots (Grossnickle, 2005; Anthony and Douglass, 2005) rooting through asexual methods of propagation is commonly used (Manica et al, 2000; Awan et al, 2012; Qadri et al, 2018)
Duranta repens and Hamelia patens had the shortest time to root (21 days) while Buxus sempervirens and Ficus retusa rooted in 28 days (Table 2)
Observation of difference in time to rooting of stem cutting of Acalypha wilkesiana, Duranta repens, Hamelia patens, and Buxus sempervirens agreed with the report of Qadri et al (2018) that there rooting behavior could vary among different plant species

Summary

Introduction

Succesful seedling establishment is largely dependent on the capacity of seedling to rapidly initiate roots (Grossnickle, 2005; Anthony and Douglass, 2005) rooting through asexual methods of propagation is commonly used (Manica et al, 2000; Awan et al, 2012; Qadri et al, 2018). There are different rooting behaviors among different plant species, and some plants root through cuttings while some are difficult to root (Qadri et al, 2018). The art of propagation by cuttings is a very old and popular technique in the field of horticulture. There are many species which are difficult to root (Anu Rajan and Radhakrishna, 2013). The use of cuttings from stems, leaves, roots or terminal buds are considered the most commonly applied technique due to its practicability and simplicity especially in developing countries like Nigeria (Okunlola, 2013)

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