Indolbutyric acid concentration in the propagation of mume by air layering

Abstract

Some research works were developed to propagate mume by cutting, even so the results were not exciting. The objective of present work was to verify the air layering in ‘IAC-10’ mume (japanese apricot) treated with different concentration of indolbutyric acid (IBA). In woody branches of approximately one year, air layering was accomplished with a 2 cm wide ring treated with IBA (0, 1,000; 2,000; 3,000 and 4,000 mg L-1), involved with humidified sphagnum moss, covered and tied in the extremities with transparent plastic film. After 90 days, percentage of survival air layering, rooting, callous and number of roots were evaluated. According to the results, mume can be propagated by air layering with a concentration of 1000 mg L-1 of IBA in order to provide a higher number of roots and a good rooting.