Abstract

Regenerative capacity of maturity of Hibiscus schizopetalous cuttings was studied under intermittent mist with the aid of IBA at 4000 ppm. Treated sub-terminal, semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings induced 100 per cent rooting; it was 60 per cent in terminal cuttings. The natural regenerative capacity of semi. -hardwood cuttings was highest. Treated cuttings of all the four types produced signifi- cantly very high number of roots than untreated ones. Treated torminal and sub-terminal cuttings produced smaller roots than those of untreated. However, treated and untreated hardwood cuttings produced longer roots. Untreated cuttings produced roots from their very basal cut portion whereas treated cuttings produced roots covering 12 to 40mm area in length on the cutting. Under intermittent mist, semi-hardwood cuttings proved superior even without IBA treatment to terminal, sub-terminal and hardwood cuttings. Terminal cuttings showed poor response to niist as well as IBA treatment.

Keywords: