Rooting Response of Juvenile and Adult Leafy Olive Cuttings to Various Factors

SummaryThe effect of season of planting, IBA concentration and number of leaves on the rooting under mist of juvenile and adult olive cuttings was investigated. Compared with adult cuttings under the same conditions, juvenile cuttings rooted faster and in higher percentages and formed more roots per rooted cutting. A wide seasonal fluctuation occurred in the rooting of adult cuttings, with the maximum in summer and minimum in autumn and winter. In contrast, the rooting percentage of juvenile cuttings remained high and relatively constant during the year, though with some reduction in autumn. In juvenile cuttings, IBA did not affect rooting percentage, which was high, but increased the number of roots per cutting. Adult cuttings responded to IBA by increases in both rooting parameters. The number of leaves per cutting greatly affected rooting, the fresh weight and number of roots per cutting being increased more in juvenile than in adult cuttings.It was also found that rooting ability was high in cuttings taken from shoots at the base of the tree, gradually decreasing to a constant amount from shoots taken at a height of 1·5–2 metres.