- Title
- Stem cutting propagation protocol for rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)
- Creator
- Matafeni, Ntombekhaya
- Subject
- Plant propagation Pelargoniums Plant cuttings
- Date Issued
- 2017
- Date
- 2017
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MSc
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10353/9832
- Identifier
- vital:35060
- Description
- Rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), is a high value essential oil plant that is used in the perfumery, cosmetic, aromatherapy and food flavouring industries. The increasing demand for this plant, due to its economic importance necessitates the development of an efficient propagation protocol for quality seedling and its maximum production. The present study therefore, sought to develop effective stem cutting propagation protocol which could facilitate multiplication of rose-scented geranium stem cuttings. Three separate experiments were undertaken to determine factors influencing effective propagation of rose-scented geranium. These factors were: rooting media, rooting hormone, cutting length and wound healing period on rooting and development of rose-scented geranium stem cuttings. The cuttings were assessed based on root number, length and fresh mass, plant height, leaf number, and stem circumference. In terms of root measurements, the growing media were washed out from the root system of plantlets, their roots were separated from stem before data was recorded which comprised of root number, length and root fresh mass. Root holding ability (RHA) on rooting medium was determined by visual observation and rated on a 1-5 scale where 1 = very loose, not acceptable; 2 = loose, not acceptable; 3 = medium, marginally acceptable; 4 = tight, acceptable; 5 = very tight, acceptable. The experiments were carried out at Essential Amatole Nursery, at the University of Fort Hare Research Farm, Alice Campus (located at 320 47ʹ3ʺS, 260 50ʹ43ʺ E, with an altitude of 519 m.a.s.l). All the experiments were carried out under mist conditions on bottom-heated beds in a greenhouse (with polycarbonate roofing of about 40percent shading effect) for the first three weeks after sticking the cuttings to the growing medium to facilitate root induction in relatively high temperature and relative humidity. Thereafter, the plantlets were grown in a shade house with 70percent light penetration until the termination of the experiment. To optimize the technology for the propagation of this plant the present experiment was designed with the objective to determine the efficient growing medium and proper rooting hormone for successful rooting and development of quality seedlings of rose-scented geranium. The experiment was set up in a complete randomized design (CRD) and was replicated three times with two factors 7×4, seven different growing media i.e. (1) Mixture growing medium which serves as control (pine bark 8 bags + sand 2 bags + lime 4kg + coconut 10 blocks + talborne 6.25 kg + bone meal 2 kg); (2) River sand only; (3) Pine bark; (4) Hygrotex (commercial rooting media); (5) Pine bark + river sand ( at1:1 ratio on volume basis); (6) Pine bark + hygrotex (at 1:1, ratio on volume basis), and; (7) Pine bark + river sand + hygrotex ( at 1:1:1 ratio on volume basis) and four different IBA hormone levels (auxins, types of IBA) applied as treatment were (1) Dynaroot (1 – 1g/kg), (2) Dynaroot (2- 3g/kg), (3) Dynaroot (3-8g/kg) and (4) Control (untreated with hormone). Hygrotex was identified as the best growth media for quicker regeneration giving the highest root number, length and fresh mass. While, hygrotex + pine bark (v/v 1:1) was efficient in producing more leaves, stem circumference and other aerial parameters. Dynaroot 3 was identified as the best rooting enhancer with maximum root number, length, fresh weight and plant height. Both Dynaroot 3 and Dynaroot 2 did not have major differences on giving highest leaf number. Control (untreated with hormone) was consistent in giving the greatest stem circumference than any other treatment. To maximize stem circumference, a combination of control (untreated with hormone) and hygrotex + pine bark (v/v 1:1) was identified as the best treatment. Based on the investigation for maximum production and quality seedlings of rose-scented geranium, hygrotex and Dynaroot 3 were identified as the best combination for successful rooting. The ideal cutting stem length, rooting hormone and growing medium for quality seedlings of rose-scented geranium were also investigated. The experimental lay out was in randomized complete design (RCD) with a 4 × 4 × 2 factorial treatment combination. Treatments used were, four different cutting lengths viz. 10, 12, 14 and 16 cm long; four different concentrations of IBA rooting hormone (Dynaroot 1, 2, 3 (powder form) and distilled water (control) and two types of growing medium (hygrotex and hygrotex + pine bark v/v 1:1) were used. Stem cuttings of 14 and 16 cm length gave the highest root number of 34, 38 and 35.13, and root length of 3.40 and 3.51cm respectively, with no significance. Cutting length of 10 cm favoured stem circumference (3.1 cm) as compared to other treatments. Whereas, cuttings treated with Dynaroot 3 showed a better root number (33.46 roots), root length (3.54 cm), root fresh mass (0.59 mg), leaf number of (11.08) as well as highest root holding ability (5). However, they showed no significance difference with Dynaroot 2 treated cuttings. In addition, cuttings treated with Control favoured shoot number (3.79) and stem circumference (3.05). Visually, hygrotex was observed to be better substrate though it was not significantly different from hygrotex + pine bark (1:1 v/v) on propagation of rose-scented geranium stem cuttings. Therefore, it is recommended that rose-scented geranium should be propagated through the combination of 14 cm cuttings length and treated with Dynaroot 2 IBA rooting hormone. Both hygrotex and hygrotex + pine bark (1:1 v/v) are the best growing media for root formation and growth of rose-scented geranium, though hygrotex alone is more economical. Wound healing period (WHP) of stem cutting was evaluated using 4 × 4 factorial, cuttings were separated into four groups during the healing duration (intervals of 24 hrs: days 0, 1, 2 and 3). These four groups were further subdivided into four subgroups of rooting hormone viz. Dynaroot 1, 2, 3 of indole-3-butyric acid and control (water). Experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The results obtained from the study revealed that rose-scented geranium rooted easily when planted on Day 2 of the wound healing period such that root holding ability was at its highest. While, Day 0 cuttings showed good response for stem circumference and shoot number. The study recommends that rose-scented geranium be propagated using cuttings that have enough time to heal the wound that is, Day 2 cuttings. Dynaroot 3 (IBA hormone concentration) showed good response to rooting and other arial parameters except for stem circumference which was favoured by application of control. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that propagation of rose-scented geranium requires a wound healing period of about three days in room temperature and application of IBA hormone before sucking cuttings in growing medium. Instead, of Dynaroot 3 or 2, Dynaroot 1 can also be used because, it is less economical and they all have a similar effect on cuttings that have been healing for three days.
- Format
- 122 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- University of Fort Hare
- Publisher
- Faculty of Science and Agriculture
- Language
- English
- Rights
- University of Fort Hare
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UFH Department of Agronomy
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