Rooting response of softwood nodal cuttings of Dalbergia sissoo (Shisham) as influenced by nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrition of the stock plant

Abstract

One year old seedlings of Dalbergia sissoo were given 27 combinations of NPK fertilizers in 4 split doses. The stock plants were coppiced at 10 cm height. The juvenile shoots produced after 8 weeks of coppicing were exploited for rooting. Six to seven cm long softwood single nodal cuttings were prepared and divided into two groups. One group was given auxin treatment of IBA 2000 ppm solution (Quick dip method) and the other was kept as control. The influence of stock plant fertilization and auxin on rooting and sprouting of juvenile cuttings was studied. The fertilized cuttings responded better in rooting, sprouting and other allied parameters as compared to unfertilized cuttings although inconsistencies were observed for different treatments. The maximum rooting and sprouting (100%) was obtained in F7 (N0P200K0) and F11 (N100P0K100) combinations against 93% rooting observed in control. The synergistic effect of fertilization and IBA treatment was clearly discernible for most of the treatments. The statistical analysis for various fertilizer treatments revealed significant differences (P<0.05) with respect to all parameters of rooting and sprouting. Significant variation between auxin and non-auxin treated cuttings was achieved with respect to root number only. The interaction between fertilization and auxin was also statistically significant with respect to root, sprout number and shoot length while it was insignificant for other parameters.