Asian Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

Aim: Standardizing the concentration of IBA and type of cutting to ensure better sprouting, growth and higher survival.

Experimental Design: Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD).

Location: The experiment was conducted at Fruit Research Station Imaliya, Department of Horticulture, JNKVV, Jabalpur (M.P.).

Methodology: Mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is a fast growing deciduous plant which is commercially propagated from hardwood cutting due to advantages like rapid multiplication and preservation of required plant traits. Hence, this experiment was conducted to find out the feasibility of different types of cutting under influence of various IBA levels on growth and success of cuttings. The experiment was conducted in 3 x 4 Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) consisting of 12 treatments with 3 replications.  Factor – A had three levels of cuttings (hardwood, semi hardwood, softwood cuttings and factor – B had four levels of IBA (0, 2000, 3000 and 4000 ppm).

Results: Among factor- A, hardwood (A₁) showed significantly better results and soft wood (A₃) showed the lowest performance. Among factor- B, IBA @ 3000 ppm showed significantly better results in respect to all parameters.  The increased level of IBA (4000 ppm) showed the lowest performance regarding days to start sprouting only. Among rest all parameter lowest performance was recorded under IBA @ 0 ppm.  The treatment combination T₃ (hardwood cutting + IBA @ 3000 ppm) showed the minimum days (5.00) to start sprouting at 30 days after planting, maximum number of shoots per cutting (2.77, 4.40, 5.60), number of leaves per cutting (5.93, 8.45, 11.98) at 60, 90, 120 days after planting respectively. Maximum longest root length (27.54cm) and survival rate (83.33%) at 120 days after planting was also observed under treatment T₃ (hardwood cutting + IBA @ 3000 ppm).

Conclusion: Among different cuttings hardwood performed best and among different levels of IBA, IBA @ 3000 ppm showed best results. While among treatment combinations, hardwood cutting treated with IBA @ 3000 ppm performed best with respect to sprouting, growth and survival of cuttings.

Significance of Work: Hardwood cuttings are commonly used for Mulberry propagation and the Soft wood and Semi hard wood portion of stem become useless during preparation of cutting. In order to reduce plant waste and observe additional positive effects, we are employing softwood and semi hardwood cuttings of mulberry. IBA is widely used vegetative propagation through cuttings because of its quicker ability to produce roots, chemical stability low mortality in plants.