Effect of Leaf Number and Rooting Media on Adventitious Rooting of Softwood Cuttings in Native Hydrangea serrata for. acuminata

An adventitious rooting of softwood cuttings was evaluated according to leaf number and rooting media in Native Hydrangea serrata for. acuminate. The shoots were carried to the lab in polyethylene bags and were cut to create cuttings of approximately 10 cm length. Softwood cuttings were prepared with 0, 1, 1/2+1/2 or 2 leaves and were planted in four different rooting media of S1 (vermiculite), S2 (coir dust : perlite = 1:1, v/v), S3 (coir dust : vermiculite = 1:1, v/v), and S4 (peat moss : perlite : vermiculite = 1:1:1, v/v/v), respectively. In scope of observations, rooting percentage, survival rate, bud-burst, and growth of root were determined. The more leaves attached to the cuttings resulted in the higher rooting and survival rate, resulting in the highest rooting (93.3%) in cuttings with 2 leaves. At six weeks after cuttings, rooting and survival rate had a positive correlation with leaf number (R 2 = 0.90 and 0.96, respectively). Leafy stem cuttings increased growth of root, while bud-burst was delayed. In rooting media, stem cuttings grown at S4 was found to be the best rooting percentage (96.7%) among four types of rooting media. Rooting media such as S3 and S4 contributed to the increase in root length, number, fresh wt., and dry wt., while rooting media such as S1 and S2 resulted in poor root growth.