Semi-hardwood Cuttings Research Articles

Como o tipo de estaca e níveis de sombreamento influenciam a propagação vegetativa de Pereskia aculeata?

Information from Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae) responses regarding the portion of the stem cuttings branch parental plants and the shading level need to be investigated in order to establish techniques for their producing seedlings. We aimed was to evaluate the effect of cutting types and shading levels in the production of P. aculeata seedlings. We studied three cutting types, collected from different portions of the stem cuttings branch: herbaceous, semi-hardwood, and hardwood, which were arranged under two shading levels: 0% (full sun) or 50% (shade). The selected parent plants had an adequate and vigorous phytosanitary aspect. After 90 days after the cuttings, the seedlings were evaluated regarding survival, growth indicators, biomass production and partitioning, and allometric indices. Seedlings from hardwood cuttings and produced under 0% shading showed higher survival. The largest number of sprouts occurred in seedlings of semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings. The highest leaf area values ​​occurred in seedlings of semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings under 0% shading. Seedlings from hardwood cuttings had higher biomass allocation in the roots under 50% shading. Seedlings of herbaceous and semi-hardwood portion allocated values ≥ 70% of the biomass in the aerial part. Seedlings of species are able to adjust to different shading levels as a plasticity mechanism. For the production of P. aculeata seedlings, the hardwood portion of the stem cuttings branch under full sun cultivation is recommended. In addition, semi-hardwood cuttings grown under 50% shading can also be used for seedlings production.

Vegetative Propagation of Eureka Seedless Lemon (Citrus limon L.Cv Eureka seedless) using Different Types of Stem Cutting and Concentrations of Indole-3-Butyric Acid in Winter

Citrus can be propagated successfully through stem cutting. However, success of the propagation is depends on various internal as well as external factors. The 2*7 factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) experiment was conducted at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Paklihawa Campus, Rupandehi, Nepal from 22 November 2019 to 5 March 2020 to assess the interaction effect of types of stem cuttings and indole 3 butyric acid (IBA) concentrations on the vegetative propagation of Eureka seedless lemon in winter. Stem cutting types had two levels: hardwood and semi-hardwood cutting and IBA concentrations had seven different level i.e control, 500 ppm, 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm, 3000 ppm, 4000 ppm, and 5000 ppm respectively forming overall 14 treatments and three replications. Statistically, significant interaction effects were seen in root parameters. The highest total number of the root(18.00) were found in hardwood cuttings treated with 4000 ppm and lowest total number of roots(1.66) was found in semi-hardwood cuttings treated with 0 ppm of IBA. A statistically significant interaction effect was not found in most of the shoot parameters. However, maximum sprouting (93.33%), the average number of shoots (4.67), average length of the shoot (7.86), and minimum days for first sprouting (30.67 days) were found in hard wood cuttings treated with 4000 ppm IBA. Considering different root and shoot parameters, hardwood cuttings treated with 4000 ppm performed best for root and shoot development. Thus, hardwood cuttings treated with 4000 ppm IBA can be appropriate method for easy and early propagation of eureka seedless lemon.

Evaluation of One-Time Applications of Foliar Applied Auxin Co-Applied with Surfactant for Use in Commercial Cutting Propagation

Use of foliar auxin applications are increasing in the nursery and greenhouse industry. However, previous research has shown that insufficient auxin is absorbed or translocated to the site of action when foliar auxin applications are used. It is theorized that adding surfactants to foliar applications of auxin may help with the absorption and translocation of auxin to the site of action. Research was conducted to determine whether adding surfactants to one-time foliar applications of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) would be as effective as the current industry standard, the basal quick-dip. Terminal, semi-hardwood cuttings of Red Cascade™ miniature climbing rose (Rosa ‘MOORcap’), common camellia (Camellia japonica) and ‘Southern Charm’ magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Southern Charm’) were sprayed to the drip point using Hortus IBA Water Soluble Salts™ at concentrations of 0 ppm, 50 ppm, 75 ppm, or 100 ppm for rose cuttings or 0 ppm, 500 ppm, 1000 ppm, or 1500 ppm IBA for camellia or magnolia. To serve as an industry control, the basal end of cuttings was immersed for 3-s in a solution of either 250 ppm, 4000 ppm or 2500 ppm for rose, camellia, or magnolia, respectively. A foliar application of 1500 ppm after sticking was as effective as the basal quick-dip for cuttings of ‘Southern Charm’, while other spray treatments were less effective. A basal quick-dip was more effective than a foliar spray for rooting cuttings of camellia. Auxin rate had no impact on rooting of Red Cascade™ miniature rose. The goal of commercial plant propagation is to produce high-quality rooted cuttings as quickly as possible. Plant propagation places a large demand on labor within the nursery industry, with one recent report being that labor accounts for >50% of a nursery’s budget. Our results from this trial affirm the results reported by similar trials into foliar applications of auxin suggests that the benefits of foliar applications are species dependent Further work is warranted on examining other auxin and surfactant formulations.

Resolving the acute gamma irradiation and ethyl methanesulphonate induced lethality for Jasminum sambac L. (Aiton) cv. Ramanathapuram Gundumalli

Crop improvement in Jasminum sambac through induced mutagenesis entails the insight on the sensitiveness of the individual plant materials of a species to different classes and nature of the mutagens. The current assessment was undertaken to analyse the mutagenic effect of acute gamma irradiation and EMS in Jasminum sambac cv. Ramanathapuram Gundumalli. Semi-hardwood cuttings of the plants were exposed to different dosage levels of gamma rays varying from 0 Gy (control) to 40 Gy and decapitated rooted cuttings were treated with EMS from 0 mM (control) to 90 mM. The M1V1 generation was evaluated by treating the cuttings with four different doses of gamma rays (15 Gy, 20 Gy, 25 Gy and 30 Gy) and three concentrations of EMS (45 mM, 60 mM, 75 mM) formulated using respective LD50 doses.  The lethality dosage (LD50) value for the cultivar Ramanathapuram Gundumalli was determined to be 21.37 Gy and 64.57 mM for gamma irradiation and EMS, respectively applying the probit curve analysis. The maximal reduction in the survival of cuttings of 75% and 71% correspondingly in gamma and EMS treatments was discerned at higher doses in comparison to the lower doses. The plants studied in M1V1 generation for growth and flowering characters exhibited variable responses pertaining to differing doses or concentrations of the specific mutagenic means. Keywords: Jasminum sambac, gamma irradiation, EMS, LD50 and semi-hardwood cuttings

Effects of anatomical structures and phenolic compound deposition on the rooting of olive cuttings

Olive tree is propagated vegetatively, which requires good adventitious rooting. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of the presence of anatomical structures and of phenolic compound deposition on the rooting of stem cuttings of olive. Semihardwood cuttings from olive cultivars Maria da Fé, Santa Catalina, Ascolano 315 and Grappolo 541, treated with indole-3-butyric acid solution at a concentration of 3000 mg L−1, were studied. During the rooting period of the experiment, which totaled 60 days, the origin of the root primordia, the changes in the anatomical structures of the wounded region and the presence of phenolic compounds and lignin in this region were analyzed and at the end of 60 days the phytotechnical parameters such as rooting percentage and calloused cuttings were evaluated. Cuttings with a high percentage of callogenesis were less likely to root. Phenolic compounds were detected in cambial cells, confirming the accumulation of these compounds in the regeneration zone of the cuttings. The sclerenchyma ring, like the phloem and cortical tissue, was a structure that did not prevent the adventitious rooting of olive cuttings but represented a structural obstacle to the emission of adventitious roots. The presence of phenolic compounds in the cambial region raises the possibility that they influence adventitious rooting, since they have close relationships with enzymes involved in the metabolism and transport of auxin.

Evaluation of cuttings ability of eighteen pomegranate cultivars from an ex-situ collection under influence of stem age and IBA treatment

The present experiment was conducted to assess the ability of the cutting of 18 pomegranate cultivars, 10 of which are local types and the other 8 are exotic varieties. The experiment was carried out in the controlled greenhouse, using two types of cuttings, semi-hardwood and hardwood and 4 IBA treatments (0, 1000, 2000 and 3000 mg L−1). The measurements concerned biometric parameters of the roots (rooting rate, number of roots produced per cutting, root length, root weight) and vegetative growth of the aerial part (apical shoot growth, total shoot length, number of primary and secondary shoots). The rooting rate was influenced by the cuttings type, IBA concentration, and genotype. The hardwood cuttings had a higher rooting percentage and shoots growth than semi-hardwood cuttings in most cultivars. The effects of IBA treatments on rooting and vegetative growth of the cuttings significantly differed according to the genotype. Maximum rooting, root number, and root length were observed by using an IBA concentration of 3000 mg L−1. The highest rooting rates were observed in ‘Zheri Precoce’ (90%), ‘Wonderful’ (90%) and ‘Chioukhi’ (80%), while the lowest rates were found in ‘Bzou’ (30%) and ‘Grenade Rouge’ (40%). Furthermore, there were large differences between cultivars in terms of vegetative traits. Among the studied cultivars, ‘Zheri Precoce’ and ‘Chioukhi’ showed the highest number of shoots and shoot length. It was concluded that the hardwood cuttings are more suitable for pomegranate propagation by cutting, with the use of high IBA concentrations. The pretreatment of cuttings by 3000 mg L−1 is sufficient for most cultivars, while higher concentrations seem necessary to increase the rooting rate of certain cultivars.

Evaluation of Different Chemicals Response on Rooting Behavior of Olive (Olea europaea L.) Semi-Hardwood Cuttings

Evaluation of Different Chemicals Response on Rooting Behavior of Olive (Olea europaea L.) Semi-Hardwood Cuttings

Farklı Kızılcık Genotiplerinin (Cornus mas L.) Yarı-Odun Çelikleri İle Çoğaltılma Olanakları

Çalışma, farklı kızılcık genotipleri (21, 22, 24, 25 ve 44-05) ve Erolbey-77 çeşidinin yarı-odun çelikleri ile çoğaltılma olanaklarının belirlenmesi amacı ile yürütülmüştür. İncelenen kızılcık genotiplerine ait yarı-odun çelikleri 15 Temmuz 2014 tarihinde alınmıştır. Hazırlanan çelikler iki gruba ayrılarak, yarısına herhangi bir uygulama yapılmamış (kontrol grubu), diğer yarısına ise 4000 ppm indol 3-butirik asit (IBA) uygulaması yapılmıştır. Köklendirme ortamına dikimden 5 hafta sonra sökülen çeliklerde köklenme oranı, kallüslenme oranı, en uzun ve en kısa kök boyu, yaşayan çelik oranı, kök dallanması ve köklenme kalitesi parametreleri incelenmiştir. İncelenen kızılcık genotiplerinde kontrol uygulamasında köklenmenin meydana gelmediği tespit edilmiştir. IBA uygulanan yarı-odun çeliklerinde köklenme oranı %0.0 (21) ile %40.0 (25), kök sayısı 0.0 adet çelik-1 (21) ile 1.93 adet çelik-1 (Erolbey-77), kallüslenme oranı %33.3 (44-05) ile %86.6 (22), en uzun kök boyu 0.0 mm (21) ile 3.86 mm (25), en kısa kök boyu 0.0 mm (21) ile 1.27 mm (Erolbey-77) ve köklenme kalitesi 0.0 (21) ile 0.35 (25) arasında belirlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak, köklenme oranı, köklenme kalitesi ve diğer köklenme özellikleri bakımından genel olarak 25 nolu genotip diğer genotiplere göre daha iyi sonuçlar vermiştir.

Efficacy of Clonal Propagation in Andaman Padauk (Pterocarpus dalbergioides): Augmenting Conservation of an Endemic Ornamental Timber Species of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India

Abstract The population of Andaman padauk (Pterocarpus dalbergioides Roxb.), an endemic ornamental timber species, is fast depleting in the Andaman Islands. Afforestation through seedlings is hindered by low germination and high mortality rates. This study attempts to assess the efficacy of clonal propagation methods to hasten mass multiplication by trying out different combinations of growth hormones, concentration, and dipping duration in semi-hardwood stem cuttings and different combinations of growth hormone concentration and substrate in air layering. Dipping the cuttings in indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) 1,500 ppm for 24 hours and spraying the modified stem-cut layers with IBA 2,000 ppm and binding with top soil and decomposed coir dust turned out to be the best treatment combination for cutting and air layering, respectively. Among the considered factors, the concentration of growth hormone is crucial for cutting, as the performance is enhanced with concentration under a given growth hormone and dipping duration. Similarly, the substrate is crucial for air layering, as modified stem-cut air layers bound with top soil and decomposed coir dust not only achieve the best performance, but also catalyze IBA for further improvement when other substrates remain unresponsive. Successful outcome of both clonal propagation techniques gives hope for disseminating the species across the tropics at global level.

Effects of different phytohormones on the rooting of azalea (Azalea sp.) cuttings

Açelyalar sahip oldukları etkileyici çiçekleri sayesinde geçmişten günümüze kadar insanların dikkatini çeken önemli süs bitkilerinden olmuştur. Dolayısıyla, bu türün üretilmesi, devamlılığının sağlanması ve nihayetinde özellikle halka açık alanlardaki bitkilendirme alanlarında kullanılması önem arz etmektedir. Vejetatif üretim tekniklerinden biri olan yarı odunsu çelikle üretim tekniği ile sera koşullarında gerçekleştirilen bu çalışmada, köklenmeyi teşvik eden oksin grubu hormonlarından İndol-3-Bütrik Asit (IBA), İndol-3-Asetik Asit (IAA) ve a-Naftalin Asetik Asit (NAA) 1000, 3000 ve 5000 ppm dozlarında, Polystimulin-A6 (POLY) ise 50, 100 ve 150 mg L-1 konsantrasyonlarında hazırlanarak kullanılmıştır. Yarı odunsu çeliklerde elde edilen en yüksek köklenme %67,7 ile POLY 50 mgL-1 işleminde elde edilmiştir. Kontrol uygulamasında %26,7 oranında bir köklenme yüzdesi elde edilmiştir. Açelya çeliklerinin köklenme yüzdelerinin belirlendiği bu araştırmada, oksin grubu hormonları (POLY, NAA ve IAA) kullanılarak yüksek köklenme yüzdesi değerlerinin elde edilmiş olması, bu fitohormonların açelyaların köklenmesinde etkili olduğunu göstermiştir.

Propagation of ora-pro-nobis (Cactaceae) from cuttings at different concentrations of IBA

Ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata Mill.) is an unconventional food plant, where asexual propagation via cuttings and the use of plant regulators is seen as an alternative in seedling production. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate different concentrations of 3-indolebutyric acid (IBA) in the rooting of semi-hardwood cuttings of Pereskia aculeata Mill. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in a completely randomised design, using cuttings of ora-pro-nobis at doses of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 g L-1 IBA in talc. Five treatments were used, with four replications, each comprising 10 cuttings. After 60 days, the following were evaluated: rate of cutting survival (SUR), number of shoots (NS), number of leaves (NL), mean shoot length (MSL), stem diameter (SD), length of the largest root (LRL), shoot fresh weight (SFW), shoot dry weight (SDW), root fresh weight (RFW), and root dry weight (RDW). The results were submitted to analysis of variance and regression analysis. SD, SDW and NL were significantly affected by the IBA dose. The values for stem diameter and dry weight as a function of the dose were adjusted to the quadratic model, with the maximum dose estimated at 1.5 g L-1, to give an SD of 6 mm and an SDW of 1.68 g. Number of leaves showed an inverse quadratic adjustment. The doses of IBA used in the semi-hardwood cuttings of Pereskia aculeata Mill. are not a condition of rooting. Stem diameter and shoot dry weight are dependent on the action of IBA, with the maximum response at an approximate dose of 1.5 g L-1.

Adventitious Root Induction in Cinnamomum heyneanum and C. riparium: The Endemic Tree Species of Western Ghats

Cinnamomum heyneanum Nees and C. riparium Gamble (family Lauraceae) are the two wild riparian species of Cinnamomum endemic to Western Ghats of Peninsular India. Overexploitation along with the lack of efforts replenish the resources have urged the ex situ and in situ conservation of these species. The objective of the present study was to explore the possibility of vegetative propagation through branch cuttings and juvenile epicormic shoots in planting stock production of these species. The effect of cutting type, time of collection, auxin type and auxin concentration on adventitious rhizogenesis of branch cuttings and epicormic shoots were studied. Results indicated that all these factors significantly affected the rooting efficacy of cuttings. The branch cuttings of C. heyneanum recorded a maximum rooting of 69.0 ± 2.0% and that of C. riparium was 70.7 ± 7.4%. The highest percentage of rooting was obtained in semi-hardwood cuttings treated with IBA 7000 mg l−1collected during September–December. Meanwhile, the juvenile epicormic shoots under best treatment combination could produce rooting up to 94% in C. heyneanum and 93% in C. riparian. The highest sprouting and rooting were observed in the epicormic shoots produced in the cuttings collected during January to April treated with 5000 mg l−1 IBA. The present study reveals that both the Cinnamomum species are amenable to macro-propagation and a better sprouting and rooting response can be obtained by using juvenile epicormic shoots compared to branch cuttings.

Propagation of macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche) by cuttings

Macadamia trees require a long period for flowering when propagated by seeds. To anticipate the yield, maintain cultivar characteristics, and increase the homogeneity of nut quality, it is essential to establish orchards with grafted trees. Although semi-hardwood cutting propagation tests have been performed in Brazil, no method has been shown to be appropriate at a large scale due to the difficulties in implementation of techniques or the high cost. Establishing an effective and affordable protocol may provide great improvement to this productive chain since it will meet the demand of nurseries and stimulate the expansion of orchards. The aim of this study was to develop a protocol for macadamia semi-hardwood cutting propagation. Six cultivars (HAES 344, HAES 816, HAES 660, IAC 4-12B, IAC 9-20, and IAC 4-20) were evaluated and selected because of their ample cultivation in Brazil. The propagation material was collected for four months (October and November 2018, and February and March 2019). The semi-hardwood cuttings were also soaked in indole butyric acid (IBA) at three different concentrations (0, 5, or 10 g L-1) and in the commercial product Clonex®. The experiment was arranged in a two-way completely randomized design with four replicates and data were analyzed by R software. The cultivar IAC 4-12B showed the highest index for root development (37.0%). The treatments did not show significant differences between IBA doses and Clonex® for root development (IBA 10 g L-1 - 31.5%, Clonex® - 29.4%, and IBA 5 g L-1 - 27.4%). November was the best cutting season for root development of semi-hardwood cuttings (10.0%).

Effect of IBA and types of cuttings on rooting of Ixora

The study was conducted to find out “Effect of Indole butyric acid (IBA) on cutting on rooting of Ixora” at farm of Horticulture Section, College of Agriculture, Nagpur in 2019-2020. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Completely Randomized Design with fifteen treatments and three replications. The treatments comprised three types of cuttings i.e. Softwood cuttings, Semi hardwood cuttings and Hardwood cuttings and five concentrations of IBA, 0 ppm, 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm, 3000 ppm, 4000 ppm. The result obtained from the present investigation in respect of root parameters, it was observed that, minimum days to rooting was observed in treatment T13 (hardwood cuttings treated with IBA 2000 ppm). However, maximum number of roots cutting-1, length of main root, survival percentage of rooted cuttings, root volume, fresh weight of roots cutting-1 and dry weight of roots cutting-1was noticed in hardwood cuttings with 2000 ppm IBA.

Identification of Cutting Types for the Successful Regeneration of Two Plum (Prunus salicina Lindl) Rootstock Varieties

This study was initiated to identify the best type of cutting for the successful regeneration of two plum rootstock varieties. Three stem cutting types (hardwood, semi-hardwood and softwood) were collected from two plum rootstock varieties (Mariana GF 8-1 and Myrobalan 29C) and have been evaluated for root, shoot and leaf traits. The result revealed that semi-hardwood cuttings of Myrobalan 29C received the earliest (15 days) sprouting while the number of shoots (3.13-3.98) and length (13.63 cm) were higher in Mariana GF 8-1. The highest sprouting (93.33-96.67%) were recorded from both hardwood and semi-hardwood cuttings of Mariana GF 8-1. Hardwood and softwood cuttings of Mariana GF 8-1 had also obtained better shoot fresh (12.89-13.26 g) and dry weight (2.67-3.33 g), respectively, while leaf number was higher (43.07) in the hardwood cuttings. The widest (2.34-2.51 cm) and longest (4.80-4.81) leaves were obtained from Myrobalan 29C cuttings of all types while the maximum number of roots (37.67), root grade (7.63) and root length (12.62 cm) were recorded from semi-hardwood and hardwood Myrobalan 29C cuttings, consecutively. The highest rooting percentage (100.00%) was observed in the semi-hardwood Mariana GF 8-1 cuttings. Hardwood and softwood Myrobalan 29C plus hardwood and semi-hardwood Mariana GF 8-1 cuttings had received statistically similar and highest roots fresh weights (14.11-14.33 g). However, hardwood Mariana GF 8-1 cuttings alone had recorded the maximum root dry weight (4.00 g). Overall, cutting type particularly hardwood cutting could be considered for successful regeneration of both varieties though Mariana GF 8-1 had succeeded Myrobalan 29C in most of the parameters. Key words :Cutting, leaf, plum, root, rootstocks, shoot DOI: 10.7176/ALST/85-04 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Optimization of Light Intensity for Olive Propagation under Greenhouse Condition through Semi-Hardwood Cuttings

Optimization of Light Intensity for Olive Propagation under Greenhouse Condition through Semi-Hardwood Cuttings

Memecik Zeytin Çeliklerinin Köklenmesi Üzerine Etilenin Etkisi

Bu çalışmada, Memecik zeytin çeliklerinin köklenmesi üzerine etilenin etkisinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmada 10 farklı bitki büyüme düzenleyici madde kombinasyonu uygulamasında her uygulamada 3 tekerrür, her tekerrürde 30’ar adet olmak üzere toplam 900 adet zeytin yarı odun çeliği kullanılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda en yüksek köklenme oranı %44.4 ile 0 etilen+6000 ppm IBA uygulamasından elde edilirken, bunu %42.2 ile 0 etilen+8000 ppm IBA uygulaması izlemiştir. En düşük köklenme oranı %2.2 ile 0 etilen+0 ppm IBA (kontrol) ve 150 etilen+4000 ppm IBA (dikimden 10 gün sonra) uygulamalarında gözlenmiştir. Çeliklerin dikimden itibaren farklı günlerde yapılan bitki büyümeyi düzenleyici maddeleri uygulamalarında en yüksek kallus oranı (% 44.7) 150 etilen+4000 ppm IBA (20.gün)’da, en fazla kök sayısı (13.3 adet) 0 etilen+6000 ppm IBA’da, en fazla kök uzunluğu (7.0 cm) 50 etilen+4000 ppm IBA (10.gün)’da ve en fazla kök çapı (3.0 mm) 150 etilen+4000 ppm IBA (10.gün)’da elde edilmiştir. Sürgün uzunluğu, çapı ve sayısı bakımından uygulamalar arasındaki farklılık önemli bulunmamıştır. Artan etilen dozları Memecik yarı odun çeliklerinin köklenmesini azalttığı için 50 ppm’den daha düşük etilen dozlarının denenmesi tavsiye edilmektedir.

Mutagenic Effectiveness and Efficiency of Gamma Rays and Ethyl Methane Sulphonate on Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. Cultivar Red Single

The present investigation was undertaken to assess the spectrum of chlorophyll mutation in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. Cultivar Red Single and also to study the mutagenic effectiveness and efficiency in M1V1 generation of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. Cultivar Red Single. Semi-hardwood cuttings of Hibiscus were treated with three doses of gamma rays viz., 25, 30 and 35 Gy and three doses of EMS viz., 0.8% (64.43 mM), 0.9% (72.48 mM, 1.0% (80.54 mM) separately. Physical mutagens created a high frequency as well as a wide spectrum of chlorophyll mutants. Totally five types of chlorophyll mutant’s viz., albino, xantha, viridis, chlorina and xantha-viridis were observed as a result of physical and chemical mutation. The mutagenic effectiveness and efficiency were calculated based on biological damage as well as chlorophyll mutation frequency on M1V1 plants. Mutagenic efficiency and effectiveness were higher in gamma radiation-induced plants particularly in a lower dose of 25 Gy. The highest mutation rate in terms of effectiveness and efficiency was observed in gamma rays than the Ethyl Methane Sulphonate treatment.

Propagation of Carissa edulis using stem cuttings for domestication and conservation in Uganda

Carissa edulis is a plant of 5m high at maturity. It grows in the Savannah woodlands of Uganda and is commonly found on ant-hills. Carissa edulis is used as a remedy for treatment of headache, chest complains, rheumatism, oedema, gonorrhea, syphilis, sickle cell anaemia, cough, ulcer, tooth-ache, and worms. Poor harvesting methods of Carissa edulis for medicine such as uprooting the whole plant threatens its existence. Its seeds are scarce because ants, birds and animals eat them hence propagation by seed is a challenge. Carissa edulis has not been in cultivation therefore its most suitable propagation method is unknown. These create the need to explore the most appropriate propagation method for Carissa edulis as a means of capturing its germplasm from the wild for purposes of its domestication, conservation and continuous availability to the communities. An experiment was conducted at the National Forestry Resources Research Institute, Uganda with an objective of investigating the best method of propagating Carissa edulis using stem cuttings. The cuttings were categorized into softwood, semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings and 50 of each treated with Indole-butyric acid (IBA) in concentrations of 0.6 w/w and 0.8 w/w plus a control and replicated 3 times.The rooting media used included: sterilized sand and soil and milled Pine bark (soaked in water for a night). Results showed the best method for propagation of Carissa edulis is by use of softwood stem cuttings treated with IBA rooting hormone of 0.8 w/w and placed in sterilized Sand as propagation medium.

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