Effect of Different Rooting Media on Root Proliferation of Taxus baccata L. Stem Cuttings

Abstract

Taxus baccata L., an endangered medicinal tree is highly valued for anti-cancer drug ‘Paclitaxel’ which is extracted from its leaves and barks. Reckless exploitation and habitat destruction have greatly reduced its natural population. Its regeneration through seed is also poor, so focus has been paid on vegetative propagation by stem cuttings to augment its natural regeneration. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of different rooting media on rooting behavior of Taxus baccata cuttings under poly house conditions. Effect of ten rooting media was studied on rooting of juvenile and mature stem cuttings of Taxus baccata. Six substrates i.e. field soil, forest soil, river sand, FYM, peat and vermi-compost were used for preparation of rooting media. The experiments were laid out in a randomized completely block design. The different rooting parameters were evaluated after six months of planting. The results revealed that the highest value of per cent survived, per cent callused, per cent rooted, mean number of root and mean root length was obtained in both juvenile and mature cuttings planted in Forest soil+ Peat+ FYM (1:1:1) compared to the other rooting media. Not a single cutting survived which was planted in river sand. Mature cuttings planted in Forest soil + River sand + VC (1:1:1) also failed to survive. The media containing peat as substrate significantly improved the rooting of cuttings but due to optimum physico-chemical properties, Forest soil+ Peat+ FYM (1:1:1) proved ideal rooting media for stem propagation of Taxus baccata.

Shoot position, cutting types and auxin treatments influence rooting response on Tecoma stans

“…In the present study soft wood cuttings gave greater sprouting, rooting and other related parameters as compared to the mature wood cuttings. Similar finding was reported in Diploknema butyracea (Zargar and Kumar, 2018) and Taxus baccata (Das and Jha, 2018). Juvenility of cutting in Dryobalanops aromatic resulted high survival percentage (Susilowati et al, 2018).…”

Vegetative propagation of Combretum collinum Fresen. (Combretaceae), Combretum molle R. Br. ex G. Don (Combretaceae) and Piliostigma thonningii Schumach. (Fabaceae) by cuttings: Effects of rooting media and indole-3-butyric acid concentration

“…Other studies found that the effect of various media on the performance of cuttings is closely associated with water retention (De Souza et al, 2019). The relatively high rooting observed in soil-sand medium could also be attributed to the good water holding capacity (Das & Jha, 2018;Singh et al, 2020;Singh et al, 2015).…”

Effects of iba and media on the growth performance of three cultivars of grapes (Vitis Vinifera L.)

“…Application of hormones improved survival to more than 50% (Galavi et al 2013, Meng et al 2014, Daskalakis et al 2017. In addition, the survival rate and grape growth condition with different treatments were different, the per cent rooting of cuttings was 40-50%, and the survival rate of transplants was 50-60% (Adu et al 2016, Li et al 2017, Cai et al 2018, Das and Jha. 2018.…”