Plant Growth Regulators Increase the Rooting of Apple Rootstocks Grown in Stoolbeds
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71318/46p8ah59Keywords:
Apple rootstocks, layer bed propagation, plant growth regulators, prohexadione calcium.Abstract
Poor rooting is a common problem of many dwarfing apple rootstock genotypes when propagated by layering. Four field experiments were performed in 2008 and 2009 to improve rooting of dwarfing rootstocks. Locations included Ephrata, Washington; Angers, France; and Canby, Oregon. The experiments compared the application of various plant growth regulators at various times of the year on B.9, M.9-T337, M.9-EMLA and G.41 rootstock stool beds. The chemicals used were prohexadione Ca (250 ppm or 1,000 ppm), indole-butyric acid (IBA; 1,000 ppm or 10,000 ppm) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA; 50 ppm or 200 ppm). IBA sprayed early in the season before mounding with sawdust consistently increased the rooting percentage; however, the treatment was expensive. Foliar applications of prohexadione Ca in the summer also increased the rooting percentage and reduced the number of spines with variations in response due to dose, location and timing. NAA applied foliarly in the summer did not increase rooting percentage.
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