Effect of auxin level and season of preparation on rooting behavior of semi hardwood cuttings of four olive cultivars

Abstract EN

A study was carried out during two successive years, 2007 and 2008 to investigate the rooting behavior of four olive cultivars, Khoderi, Maraki, Manzanello and Moluki under intermittent mist system by using medium semi hardwood stem cuttings.

Cuttings were prepared in mid of spring, summer and autumn in both years.

Cuttings were treated with 50 % aqueous ethanol solution of the following treatments 1-Control (50 % aqueous ethanol).

2- IB A at 2000 ppm.

3-IBA at 4000 ppm.

4- IBA at 6000 ppm.

5- NAA at 2000 ppm.

6-NAA at 4000 ppm.

7- NAA at 6000 ppm.

8-IBA 1000 ppm + NAA 1000 ppm.

9-IBA 2000 ppm + NAA 2000 ppm and 10-IBA 3000 ppm + NAA 3000 ppm by dipping method ( 5 seconds) and inserted in plastic boxes filled with rooting medium consisted of peatmoss and sand (1 : 3 v / v) under intermittent mist system.

After twelve weeks under mist condition, rooting percentage, root number per cutting and average of root length were recoded.

Results indicated that summer collection season was the best one for rooting percentage, number of roots per cutting and average of root length of semi hardwood cuttings of the four studied olive cvs.

In both seasons.

Autumn seemed to be the worst season for cutting preparation season.

Moluki cv.

Cuttings proved to be the easiest to root (36.7-57.8 %) followed in decreasing order by Manzanello, (20-41.1 %) Maraki (14.5-36.7 %) and Khoderi cuttings (18.9-22 %).Treating cuttings with IBA at 6000 ppm or IBA at 1000 ppm + NAA at 1000 ppm were the promising treatments.

Cuttings prepared in the second season (2008) were more successful than those prepared in the first one (2007) except Khoderi cuttings.

This may be due to the difference in the environmental conditions.