Effects of indolebutiric acid and of collection date on the rooting of guava cuttings (Psidium guajava L.)

Abstract

The purpose or this research work was to evaluate the effects of cutting collection date and of different concentrations of indolebutiric acid (IBA) on the rooting of apical and mid cuttings of guava (Psidium guajava L.). Two clones were used, one of white flesh and another of red flesh fruits. The cuttings were collected from the trees at four times: February, April, June and October of 1993. Apical cuttings with two leaves and mid part branch cuttings with four halfleaves, both 15 cm long, were treated with 0, 4000, 5000, 6000 or 7000 ppm of IBA as a powder mixture, introducing 1 cm of their basal end In the mixture containing IBA. After treatement the cuttings were planted in plastic bags containg ash of rice husk as substrate and kept in greenhouse under mist conditions. The experimental design was of randomized complete block with three replications and 12 cuttings per plot After a 60 day period the cuttings were evaluated for the percentage of rooted cuttings, with calus, with new leaves and root dry weight per cutting. The date of cutting had significant effects on all data. The highest percentage of rooted cuttings (51,52%) was observed on cuttings collected in February. Sprouting did not affect rooting. IBA treatments only increased dry weight of roots per cutting and percentage of rooting. There was a difference between the two clones with respect to the percentage of rooted cuttings and of sprouting, that were higher for the white flesh clone than for the red flesh clone, for the cuttings collected in October.