Concentrations and forms of application of indolebutyric acid on cutting propagation of cvs. Flórida and Clímax blueberries

Abstract

The blueberry is a temperate fruit, with great potential for increasing crop in Brazil. However, among the obstacles to expansion in the country is the difficulty of vegetative propagation. Seeking to provide higher quality and speed of propagation of blueberry plants, the objective of this experiment was to evaluate different concentrations and forms of application of indolebutyric acid (IBA) on rooting of semihardwood cuttings of two cultivars, collected in march 2009. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, and each cutting was 10-12 cm long, with two half leaves. Cuttings were treated with different concentrations of IBA (0, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 mg L^-1) in alcohol solution in two forms of application (liquid and powder), placed in plastic pots of 53cm³ containing commercial substrate Plantmax HT®. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replications and twelve cuttings per plot. After 150 days it was evaluated the rooting and sprouting percentage, average length of roots and dry weight of roots per cutting. ‘Climax’ rooted and sprouted more than ‘Florida’, and in both cultivars the increasing concentration of IBA resulted in higher percentage of rooting. ‘Clímax’ showed increases in dry weight of roots per cutting with increasing concentration of IBA. The percentage of rooting of cultivars Climax and Florida subjected to treatment with doses of IBA in liquid form was superior to talc.