PROPAGATION OF ORNAMENTAL JHAU (Casuarina equisetifolia) THROUGH AIR LAYERING USING PLANT GROWTH REGULATOR AND DIFFERENT ROOTING MEDIA

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted from July, 2020 to December, 2020 at the horticulture Farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The experiment comprised of two factors; Factors A: Three rooting media viz. M 1 ii = Soil (90%) + Cow dung (10%), M 2 = Cocopeat (90%) + Cow dung (10%) and M 3 = Soil (45%) + Cocopeat (45%) + Cow dung (10%) and Factor B: Five different Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) Viz. H 0 Alovere gel (20 ml/L), H 2 = Cinnamone powder (20 mg/Layer), H 3 = No PGR (control), H 1 = NAA (50 mg/L) and H 4 = mixed PGR (IAA, IBA and NAA @ 5 mg each). The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with three replications. Different treatment combinations expressed significant differences due to their interaction effect. In case of different media, the highest percent of root initiation, number of primary roots per layer, diameter of thickest root, number of shoots at 30 days after placing in the polybag and survival percentage of jhau (66.69%, 14.20, 0.37 cm, 5.92 and 76.92%, respectively) was found from M 3 . In case of different PGR, the highest percent of root initiation, number of primary roots, diameter of thickest root, number of shoots at 30 days after placing in the polybag and survival percentage of jhau was recorded (73.16%, 17.28, 0.40 cm, 5.96 and 87.81%, respectively) in H 4 . Again, the combined effect of different rooting media and different PGR, the highest percent of root initiation, number of primary roots per layer, diameter of thickest root, number of shoots at 30 days after placing in the polybag and survival percentage of jhau after air layering was recorded (82.30%, 19.56, 0.42 cm, 7.18, and 92.38%) in M 3 H 4 . So, the use of M 3 as a rooting media and H 4 as a PGR during air layering have a positive effect on the survival percentage of jhau.