Improvement on rooting quality of Jatropha curcas using indole butyric acid (IBA).

Abstract

The effects of indole-3-butyric acid ( IBA) concentrations and t hree types of cutting (softwood, semi hardwood and hardwood) on root performance of Jatropha curcas L. cuttings were investigated. Two experiments were conducted where in exp eriment 1, conducted on July 2007, the hardw ood cutting gave the highest mean value for root dry weight (0.2g), number of roots (22) with percentage of rooted cuttings (56%) compared to the one using softwood cutting. 10, 000 mg/L IBA gave the highest mean value for root length (13 .6cm), number of roo ts (28), percentage of rooted cuttings (74%) wi th roo t dry weight (0.5g). In e xperiment 2, conducted on January 2008, the hardwood cutting once a gain ga ve the highest mean value for ro ot length ( 12.1cm) and root dry weight (0.4g). The greatest root number (59) was obtained at 20, 0 00 mg/L. T here was no si gnificant effect on percentage of rooted cuttings, root dry weight, root length and rootball diameter. The hi stological studies s howed that adventitious roots were originated di rectly from the endodermis. The root primordial started t o devel op on day 8 and emerged through the epidermis after day 11.