Study on the Rooting of Picea Abies Cuttings Under Auxins, Substrates and Bottom Heat

Abstract

The effect of rooting hormones, substrate and bottom heat was studied on the rooting of the cuttings of Picea abies. The treatments included bottom heat at two levels, hormones at six levels and rooting substrate at three levels. The recorded traits included rooting percentage, the number of roots; root length and root dry weight. It was found that the applied hormones had no considerable effect on rooting and the recorded traits, so that the application of 2000 and 4000 mg/l IBA had no significant difference with no-hormone application on all three substrates with or without the use of bottom heat. Cuttings treated with NAA produced no roots in any of the studied three substrates. The highest number of roots was produced under the treatment of sand + perlite × 4000 mg/l IBA × no-bottom heat. The treatment of no-bottom heat × no-hormone × perlite produced the longest root. The highest root dry weight was devoted the treatments of no-bottom heat × no-hormone × sand and no-bottom heat × 2000 mg/l IBA× sand.