Influence of type cutting, IBA concentration and collection times on rooting of tea (Camellia sinensis L.)

Abstract

Type of cutting, rooting hormone Indol-3-burtyric acid (IBA), collection time are critical factors that affect rooting development of semi-hardwood cuttings. In this study, the objectives were to determine the best type of cutting, collection times and the effect of IBA (Indol-3-burtyric acid) hormone on rooting of Turkish Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) clone (Muradiye-10) cultivars. The cuttings were collected on 15 July and 1 August. After pre-treating with 0, 2000, 4000 and 6000 ppm IBA, the cuttings with full leaf and half leaf cuttings were rooted in perlite medium at the unheated but mist propagated glasshouse. Semi- hardwood cuttings were exposed to the rooting media for 60 days, and then, they all were removed from media to determine the survival rate, rooting rate, root number, root length, root diameter, and root quality. In both years, the survival rates were between 65.0-98.3%; the rooting rates between 10.0-95.0%; the root numbers between 2.2-8.4; the root lengths between 5.9-16.8 cm; the root diameters between 0.60-1.21 mm and the root qualities between 1.56-3.76. The highest rooting and rooting quality were from semi- hardwood cuttings prepared with full leaf cuttings on August 1^st. All the cuttings were treated with 4000 and 6000 ppm IBA. The lowest rooting and rooting quality were from control (0 ppm IBA) treatment.