Effect of indole-3-acetic acid on vegetative propagation by cutting cuatomate (Solanum glaucescens Zucc.)

Resumen

Objective: To evaluate the effect of indole-3-acetic acid and budwood type in the vegetative propagation by cutting cuatomate (Solanum glaucescens Zucc.) and to describe the phenological stages, in order to increase production.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A completely randomized design with a 2² factorial design was used to estimate the effect of two concentrations of indole-3-acetic acid (1000 and 10000 ppm) and budwood type (secondary and tertiary) on the number of leaves and sprouts of the plant. With regard to propagation, 30-cm budwoods from secondary and tertiary branches of cuatomate were used; transversal and diagonal cuts were made at the ends of the branches that generate the canopy and the root, respectively. Data was subject to an analysis of variance, using the general linear model procedure.

Results: Highly significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) were observed between the variables under study. Higher number of leaves and sprouts (16.700 and 20.000, respectively) were observed in tertiary budwoods inoculated with 1000 ppm of IAA. In the evaluation of the phenological stages, the first bud appeared at 30 days, while the first leaf and flowers appeared 40 and 180 days after inoculation, respectively.

Study limitations/implications: Commercial candelilla wax was applied in the transversal cut to prevent attacks by pathogens and every single budwood was completely covered with indole-3-acetic acid.

Findings/conclusions: The use of indole-3-acetic acid in the vegetative propagation of cuatomate would be an alternative to increase its production; promoting a sustainable activity in the Mixtec region of Puebla.