Effects of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) on rooting of female and male Laurus nobilis L. cuttings

Abstract

Laurel plant is one of the most known, naturally growing in forest and maquis areas, medicinal and aromatic plant in the world. The study was performed in determining the differences in each gender and auxin types on rooting capability of broad-leaved evergreen dioecious laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) plants. For this purpose, 8 female and 8 male plant types were selected from 5 locations. Two different auxins, IBA and NAA, were applied to semi-hardwood stem cuttings of the selected plants in each two doses (2000 ppm and 4000 ppm) versus control. Survival and rooting rates, shoot formation and adaptation in the acclimatization stage rate in addition root length and root number were evaluated. The data varied between 10-100% in females and 23-100% in males survival rate, 0-73% in females and 0-50% in males rooting rate, 2-28 roots/cutting in females and 1-8 roots/cutting in males root number, 1.33-7.33 cm/root in females and 0.83-6.00 cm/root in males root length, 0-86% in females and 0-100% in males shoot formation rate with 33-100% in females and 17-100% in males adaptation in the acclimatization stage in all auxin treatment and control. In all studies, average rooting percentage was 17.0% in female and 9.6% in male plants. According to the results of the great variation in the data, it can be emphasized that success of production of laurel saplings from rooted cuttings largely depends on initial plant types in addition to the auxin treatments. Most importantly, rooting capacity of laurel cuttings was found (overall mean 13.3%) very low.