Rooting of softwood cuttings from dormant woody stems forced in a solution containing silver thiosulfate (STS)‎ and gibberellic acid (GA3)‎

Abstract EN

Research was conducted in February 1999 to study the effects of including silver thiosulfate (STS), gibberellic acid (GA3), or both, in the forcing solution on rooting of softwood cuttings produced by forced dormant stems of Cornus alba and Euonymus alatus.

The forcing treatments employed were the basic forcing solution (200 mg 8-HQC/l and 2% sucrose) alone, or in combination with either 5 mM STS or 50 mg gibberellic acid (GA3)/l or both.

Following forcing, the cuttings were dipped for 5 seconds in 2000 ppm indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or 2000 ppm indolebutyric acid (IBA) to promote rooting.

The lowest rooting responses resulted from forcing the dormant stems of Cornus alba and Euonymus alatus in a forcing solution containing 50 mg gibberellic acid (GA3)/l.

However, the addition of STS alone or in combination with GA3 improved rooting when compared with GA3 alone.

IAA and IBA increased number of roots initiated per cutting and showed similar responses.

This forcing solution approach provides an attractive alternative for propagating woody plants during winter months.