PROPAGATION OF CALLIANDRA CALOTHYRSUS THROUGH CUTTINGS: EFFECT OF STOCKPLANT SHADING

Seven clones of Calliandra calothyrsus were raised under different irradiance and red:far-red (R:FR) treatments: open (100% sunlight, R:FR 1.05); black net (31% sunlight, R:FR 0.94) and green net (27% sunlight, R:FR 0.54). Cuttings were taken, treated with one of four auxin treatments [0, 10, 30, 60 μg indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) per cutting] and set to root in non-mist polypropagators for six weeks. Rooting success and number of roots per cutting were determined. Reduction of the light intensity to c. 30% almost doubled the rooting of C. calothyrsus (from 42 to 72%). Reduction of R:FR also increased the rooting by another 20—30%. The use of shade to precondition C. calothyrsus stockplants can therefore be recommended to farmers. The application of minimal amounts of IBA (10 μg per cuttings) is recommended as it increases the number of roots for successful hardening off and survival. Tujuh klon Calliandra calothyrsus ditanam di bawah pendedahan sinaran dan rawatan merah: merah jauh: terbuka (100% cahaya matahari, R:FR 1.05); jaring hitam (31% cahaya matahari, R:FR 0.94) dan jaring hijau (27% cahaya matahari, R:FR 0.54). Keratan diambil, dirawat dengan salah satu daripada empat rawatan auksin [0, 10, 30, 60, μg asid indol-3-butirik (IBA) setiap keratan] dan ditanam dalam polipropagator tanpa-kabut selama enam minggu. Kejayaan pengakaran dan bilangan akar bagi setiap keratan ditentukan. Sinaran cahaya yang dikurangkan kepada hampir 30% menyebabkan pengakaran C. calothyrsus bertambah hampir dua kali ganda (daripada 42 kepada 72%). Penurunan R:FR juga meningkatkan pengakaran sebanyak 20—30%. Oleh itu, penggunaan naungan terhadap tumbuhan stok C. calothyrsus yang dirawat terlebih dahulu dapat disyorkan kepada peladang. Penggunaan IBA yang minimum (10 μg bagi setiap keratan) disyorkan kerana langkah ini dapat meningkatkan jumlah akar bagi memastikan pengerasan dan kemandirian.