Vegetative propagation of Cinnamomum camphora L. Presl by shoot cuttings: Effect of shoot physiological age

Vegetative propagation techniques such as cuttings have been employed in propagation of plants of the family Lauraceae. Vegetative propagation using cuttings is currently the method used for reproducing camphor tree ( Cinnamomum camphora L. Presl) at CSIR-Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute. The study was carried out to determine shoot physiological age of the camphor tree that would promote root initiation and cuttings performance. Hundred shoot cuttings of similar diameter (0.9 cm) were selected for each shoot physiological age. The first 10 cm from the apex of the shoot was considered softwood, 10 cm from the base of the softwood cuttings was considered semi-hardwood and 10 cm from the base of the semi-hardwood cuttings was considered hardwood.Shoot cuttings of the physiological ages were treated with 4000 mg l-1 of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and inserted into a mixture of river-sand and decomposed palm fibre mixed in a ratio of 1:2(v v-1). Data collected after 12 weeks indicated that the physiological age of shoot had an effect on root initiation and cutting performance. Number of survived cuttings, number of rooted cuttings, root length, callus formed and sprouted cuttings differed significantly amongst shoot physiological ages. Root initiation and shoot performance were greatest in softwood cuttings. They, however, decreased with increasing physiological age of shoot.