EFFECTS OF INDOLE BUTYRIC ACID CONCENTRATIONS AND MEDIA ON ROOTING OF LEAFY STEM CUTTINGS OF <em>SHOREA</em> <em>PARVIFOLIA</em> AND <em>SHOREA</em> <em>MACROPTERA</em>

Abstract

AMINAH, H., NOR HASNITA, R. M. N. & HAMZAH, M. 2006. Effects of indole butyric acid concentrations
and media on rooting of leafy stem cuttings of Shorea parvifolia and Shorea macroptera. An experiment was
set up using stem cuttings of Shorea parvifolia taken from coppices of four-year-old stock plants. The bases
of these cuttings were treated with indole butyric acid (IBA) of varying concentrations between 2000 and
10 000 ppm. The control was without IBA. The cuttings were planted separately in an enclosed mist
propagation system using three types of media, namely, sand, coconut husk and a combination of
sand:coconut husk (1:1). Similar experiment was carried out with stem cuttings of S. macroptera taken from
one-year-old potted seedlings. Results showed that 16 weeks after planting, there were significant differences
between rooting percentages of S. parvifolia cuttings treated with various IBA concentrations. The highest
rooting of 63% was obtained with 8000 ppm IBA compared with only 32% with control treatment. However,
no significant difference was obtained in the mean number of roots between 8000 ppm IBA and the control.
Similar results were obtained with S. macroptera. However, lower rooting percentage was obtained. The
highest rooting of 46% was obtained with 10 000 ppm IBA compared with the 17% with control treatment.
Unlike S. parvifolia, means number of roots in S. macroptera was significantly higher when cuttings were
treated with 6000, 8000 and 10 000 ppm IBA compared with control. Cuttings treated with 10 000 ppm IBA
had 3.1 roots compared with the control (1.7). However, when different types of media was used no significant
effect was observed on rooting and number of roots in the two species studied. In both species, cuttings
with diameters < 4.5 mm gave better rooting percentages than those with thicker diameters.