Seasonal and Hormonal Influence on Rooting, Vegetative and Morphological Growth of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Bhagwa Cuttings

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the response of seasons and plant growth regulators on vegetative and morphological growth of different pomegranate cuttings of cv. Bhagwa. Hardwood (C1) and semi-hardwood cuttings (C2) were taken at three different seasons viz., first fortnight of September (S1), second fortnight of September (S2), and first fortnight of October (S3), and each of the cuttings were treated with 1000 ppm IBA (T1), 1500 ppm IBA (T2), 2000 ppm IBA (T3), 1000 ppm IAA (T4), 1500 ppm IAA (T5), 2000 ppm IAA (T6), 2 % ascorbic acid (T7), and dipped in sterile water (T8 - control). The study revealed that hardwood cuttings (C1) taken during the second fortnight of September (S2) and treated with 2000 ppm IBA (T3) have superior growth at an interval of 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after planting in terms of number of leaves (48.85, 51.66, 53, and 61 respectively), number of shoots (6.16, 7, 8, and 10 respectively), shoot length (15.05, 26.44, 28.11, and 30.33 cm respectively), and height of cuttings (18.33, 18.88, 23.60, and 27 cm respectively). Moreover, the same treatment showed highest number of roots, root length, root diameter, success percentage (34.16 %), and lowest mortality percentage (15.83 %).