Production of acerola seedlings using mini-cuttings treated with indolbutyric acid and nutgrass extract

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the application of indolbutyric acid (IBA) and nutsedge extract in apical, median and basal minicuttings of acerola. The minicuttings, standardized at 3 cm, were collected from the middle part of the mother plants in branches of 15 cm. The extract was obtained from tubers of nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus). The experimental design was completely randomized in a 3 x 3 factorial scheme, with three types of minicuttings and two inductors of rooting together with the control. The experiment was conducted in two stages: the first one evaluated, at 62 days, the percentage of minicuttings rooted and sprouted, and of minicuttings with calluses that did not emit roots, and in the second, at 156 days after staking, analyzed the percentage of survival, moult height, collection diameter, length of the largest primary root, dry mass of root, shoot and total, relationship between height and collection diameter and Dickson quality index (IQD). There was a significant interaction between the factors for the majority of the variables, except for the dry mass of the root and shoot, height to diameter ratio and IQD. The propagation of cherry tree by minicuttle is feasible and has potential for use, depending on the position of the branch and the immersion or not of IBA and nutsedge extract. The basal minicuttings provide better quality seedlings.