The influence of two managements on yield and quality of plagiotropic mini-cuttings of four cacao clones was evaluated. The design was completely randomized in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme with 4 clones x 2 mother plant management (apical pruning and bending), with 10 replicates and one plant as experimental unit. Seedlings used were propagated by rooting of semi-woody cuttings of plagiotropic branches and at seven months of age, two seedlings of each clone were transplanted to 12 L pots filled with organomineral substrate. After transplantation, the apex of one of the plants was cut based on the count of the first six leaves from the apex. For bending, stems were folded and horizontally fixed. The first collection of mini-cuttings was performed 30 days after transplantation and the others during the following seven months. The yield of mini-cuttings was estimated during collections and part was used for rooting and quality evaluation of seedlings. After 90 days, 10 mini-cuttings of each clone were evaluated for quality using the Dickson quality index (DQI). Another 10 rooted mini-cuttings were transplanted to 1.5 L polyethylene bags and kept in greenhouse for another 120 days until final quality evaluation at 210 days. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and Tukey test at 5% probability. Shapiro-Wilk normality test and Pearson correlation analysis were performed. bending was more efficient in the average production of mini-cuttings especially for BN 34 clone. The Dickson quality index was correlated with root dry mass, at both 90 and 210 days, and the bending technique was responsible for the best DQI. Variable height was not adequate to estimate the quality of cocoa seedlings.
Fridericia chica (Bonpl.) L. G. Lohmann has medicinal properties and potential for commercial cultivation; however, the propagation characteristics of this species have been poorly evaluated. This study aimed to analyze the length of cuttings, indolebutyric acid (IBA) doses and substrates containing different proportions of cocoa shell in F. chica cuttings. Two experiments were carried out. In the first one, the treatments were basal cuttings of 10 cm and 20 cm in length and four IBA concentrations (0 mg L-1, 2,000 mg L-1, 4,000 mg L-1 and 6,000 mg L-1). In the second experiment, substrates obtained from five proportions of cocoa shell (CS) and expanded vermiculite (EV) compost were tested: 100 % CS; 100 % EV; 50 % CS + 50% EV; 30 % CS + 70 % EV; 70 % CS + 30 % EV. The rooting percentage, sprouting height and dry biomass production were evaluated. The production of F. chica seedlings can be performed by basal cuttings with 20 cm in length, which allow achieving a rooting rate of 91 %. The ideal IBA dose to obtain a maximum sprout length is 3,600 mg L-1. Mixtures composed of 50 % CS + 50 % EV and 30 % CS + 70 % EV were the best substrates for the production of F. chica seedlings.
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