Vegetative Propagation of Peltophorum Petrocarpum (DC.) Backer ex K.Heyne a Multipurpose Tree

Abstract

This paper describes a successful protocol of vegetative propagation by using stem cuttings of mature Peltophorum petrocarpum plants. The experiment was conducted in the nursery of the Forestry Research Centre at Soba during November 2011and April 2012. The socioeconomic importance of P. petrocarpum comes from its multipurpose uses and there is a demand in production of its seed for tree planting and domestication activities. Hence there is a need for efficient and economically feasible propagation method of P. pterocarpum. Therefore the objective of study is to develop a vegetative propagation protocol by using rooted stem cuttings; and to determine the effects of the rooting hormone indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) on rooting potentiality of stem cuttings of mature mother plants. The result revealed a significant effect (p<0.001) of IBA concentrations on rooting percentage and growth performance of stem cuttings. The highest rooting percent was obtained with 200ppm IBA which was not significantly different from 100ppm, but significantly different from 50 and 0.0ppm. The effect of IBA concentrations on root lengths and of roots per cutting was significantly different from 0.0 and 50ppm treatments. Although 100ppm IBA gave the tallest root (4.6 cm) but it was not significantly different from 200ppm (4.3 cm). Survival of rooted cuttings after transplanting from the propagator was 100% and 97% with 100 and 200mg IBA respectively. Accordingly the conclusion reached is that rooted cuttings can be used successfully for obtaining health, uniform plantations of P. petrocarpum for large-scale, biomass production and tree planting programmes.