ROOTING OF ROOT CUTTINGS: A BREAKTHROUGH IN VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION.

Regeneration of plantlets from adventitious roots is a new idea, which is achieved through the present study using prop roots of Clusia fluminensis, a neotropical ornamental species. Three IBA (Indole 3-butyric acid) concentrations in ppm level were used for the present study in order to establish the effect of rooting and SVI (sprouting value index) was employed to interpret the efficiency of management practices. Field experiments were carried out using three rooting media for three consecutive years in a tropical environment. The results obtained indicate high SVI (sprouting value index), when prop root cuttings planted in root trainers with coir pith compost (RTCP) for all the three concentration of IBA applied. Sprouting percentage was increased and the delay in completion of sprouting/rooting initiation decreased by the use of IBA treatment. Increased percentage of (CWR) callus without rooting and (SUP) sound unsprouted propagules percentages indicates defects in management practices, dormancy and or the genotype of the cultivar. Even though the rooting of cutting technology using exogenous application of IBA is well established, raising plantlets by rooting of root cuttings will be new knowledge in artificial propagation studies.