Use of biochar as media for propagation of some difficult-to-root ornamental plants

Abstract

A study was carried out at the Department of Horticulture, KNUST from 8th January, 2017 to 17th March, 2017 to determine the best propagating medium for Ixora coccinea and Ficus pumila. The design was a Complete Randomized Design with four treatments replicated three times. The treatments were; topsoil only, biochar only, mixture of topsoil and biochar (1:1) and mixture of topsoil and biochar (2:1) . The study revealed that the treatment with the mixture of topsoil and biochar (2:1) was the best medium, in terms of physical and chemical properties and produced the highest number of leaves and rooted cuttings in Ficus pumila. Topsoil only had highest number of leaves and roots for Ixora coccinea. The biochar medium started rooting earlier for Ficus pumila at 2 weeks and recorded the highest number of leaves, while that of Ixora coccinea rooted at the fourth week towards the fifth week. The study concluded that mixture of topsoil and biochar (2:1) could be used for propagating difficult to root ornamental plants whiles Biochar only could also be used to propagate Ficus pumila.