PROPAGATION OF <em>CALLIANDRA</em> <em>CALOTHYRSUS</em> THROUGH CUTTINGS: EFFECT OF STOCKPLANT SHADING

Abstract

Seven clones of Calliandra calothyrsus were raised under different irradiance and red:far-red (R:FR) treatments: open (100% sunlight, R:FR 1.05); black net
(31% sunlight, R:FR 0.94) and green net (27% sunlight, R:FR 0.54). Cuttings were taken, treated with one of four auxin treatments [0, 10, 30, 60 ug indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) per cutting] and set to root in non-mist polypropagators for six weeks. Rooting success and number of roots per cutting were determined. Reduction of the light intensity to c. 30% almost doubled the rooting of C. calothyrsus (from 42 to 72%). Reduction of R:FR also increased the rooting by another 20-30%. The use of shade to precondition C. calothyrsus stockplants can therefore be recommended to farmers. The application of minimal amounts of IBA (10 µg per cuttings) is recommended as it increases the number of roots for successful hardening off and survival.