ISSN 2756-3790
International Journal of Horticulture and Floriculture ISSN 2167-0455 Vol. 8 (3), pp. 001-007, March, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
The effects of different concentrations of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) on leafy stem cuttings of four tropical timber species
Egbe E. A.*, Chuyong G. B., Fonge A. B., Tata B. L. and Tabot P. T.1
Department of Plant and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P. O. Box 63, Buea, Cameroon.
Accepted 12 October, 2019
Abstract
The effects of different concentrations of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) on the rooting of leafy stem cuttings of Albizia zygia, Blighia welwitschii, Lophira alata and Pterocarpus soyauxii were investigated using non-mist propagators. Four hormone concentrations were used; 16000, 8000, 4000 and 0 µg ml-1 (control). Results indicated that Albizia, Blighia and Lophira cuttings rooted best when treated with 16000 µg ml-1 IBA (80, 100 and 40% respectively) and their control cuttings did not root. Pterocarpus stem cuttings treated with 8000 and 4000 µg ml-1 had 100% rooting while those treated with 16000 µg ml-1 and control was 80%. The highest root number was noted in cuttings of the various species treated with 16000 µg ml-IBA and there were significantly differences only from treatments of Blighia and Pterocarpus species. Stem cuttings treated with IBA at 16000 µg ml-1 also gave the fastest rooting time which ranged from 18 to 78 days. Stem cuttings of Blighia, Albizia and Lophira species treated with16000 µg ml-1 IBA also had the longest roots (2.48, 1.23 and 1.45 cm respectively). The longest root length of Pterocarpus was observed in cuttings treated with 8000 µg ml-1 of IBA (3.72 cm). Vegetative production of seedlings of these species is essential for reforestation programmes.
Key words: Timber species, indole -3- butyric acid, leafy stem cuttings, rooting time, percentage rooting.