PROPAGATION OF PRUNUS SALICINA (L.) SANTA ROSA: EFFECTOF PLANTING TIMES AND AUXIN LEVELS ON SUCCESS OF STEMCUTTINGS UNDER MIST ENVIRONMENTAmit Kotiyal, Anant Ram Nautiyal and Vipin Chandra JoshiAbstract Prunus salicina (L.) Santa Rosa, an important temperate fruit crop having good source of vitamin C, isdifficult to propagate commercially either by budding or cuttings. The present study was carried out toregenerate the species through stem cuttings with different doses of auxin in one year old stem cuttings insix different planting times of winter. Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) was found to be effective auxin in inducingrooting in plum. Exogenous application of IBA significantly improved rooting of cuttings. Among six plantingtimes, 31st December was the best for rooting of stem cuttings which succeeded in 100% rooting with 1500ppm IBA treatment. 100% sprouting and rooting was observed in stem cuttings planted in the month ofJanuary and best acclimatization to field with 100% success in first fortnight of January planted cuttingsunder mist. However, planting time in relation to season and IBA level had fascinating interaction revealinga residual effect and inherent characteristics of the species for phenophase regulation. It is recommended totreat the cuttings with 1500 ppm IBA and make the cuttings from mature trees in 31st December to 16thJanuary for successful rooting. If these recommendations are followed, it can be achieved 100% success incommercial propagation of P. salicina, and thus help in acclimatization of clonal plantations for fruitproduction in the country. |