Vegetative propagation of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) through stem cuttings

Abstract

The selected healthy branches of Jatropha curcas were cut into 15 cm and 25 cm length having 4 to 5 nodes in each category of apical portion (thickness < 1cm), middle portion (1.0 to 1.5 cm) and basal portion (1.5 to 2 cm). The base positions of apical, middle, basal portions of cuttings were dipped in the 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1000 ppm of IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid) and IBA (Indole-3-butyric acid) respectively for four hours. After which the cuttings were planted in the polypots filled with rooting media consists of sand, soil and farm yard manure (FYM) in the ratio of 1:2:1. Maximum sprouting (100%) was observed in 25 cm as well as 15 cm length cuttings of different portions. In case of 25 cm length different sections like apical cuttings when treated with 200 ppm, 800 ppm IAA and 400 ppm IBA, basal cutting with 800 ppm IAA and 200, 400 ppm IBA and middle cuttings with 200 ppm IAA, similarly 15cm length basal portion cutting treated with 400 ppm IAA produce 100 per cent sprouting. Other characters like rooting percentage (93.33%), root length (37.66cm), fresh biomass (73.21g) and dry biomass (34.06g) were observed maximum in apical portion cutting of 25 cm length treated with 100 ppm IBA, 800 ppm IBA, 100 ppm IAA and 100 ppm IAA respectively where as root number (17.0) found maximum in middle portion cutting of 15cm length treated with 1000 ppm IAA. It showed that the apical portion of 25 cm length cuttings treated with IAA and IBA resulted in maximum sprouting, rooting percentage, root length, fresh biomass and dry biomass production.