Articles
PROPAGATION OF PROTEACEAE CUTTINGS IN BIO-DEGRADABLE JIFFY-STRIPS
Article number
1031_7
Pages
73 – 76
Language
English
Abstract
In South Africa Proteaceae rooted cuttings for commercial cut flower growers are typically produced in a 90 × 150 mm perforated, transparent plastic bag.
A new option for the production of rooted cuttings, now available in South Africa, is a range of bio-degradable pots, strips and plugs from Jiffy®. From this range, a 60 × 60 × 100 mm deep, square Jiffy-Strip was selected to evaluate as a potential alternative for the production of rooted cuttings for cut flower orchards.
Vegetative cuttings of two cultivars in each of the genera Leucadendron, Leucospermum and Protea were set in both perforated plastic bags as well as in square Jiffy-Strips using standard commercial propagation mix and rooting hormone.
Rooting of cuttings was carried out in a naturally ventilated fog house without bottom heat.
The handling process from the nursery to planting of rooted cuttings in Jiffy-Strips was less time consuming as there was no need to remove a bag.
There was less root damage during transplanting, thus effectively lowering losses after planting.
Rooting percentages, root structure and costing were also compared for the two different systems tested.
This bio-degradable, zero-waste system has the potential to be a viable alternative for the production of rooted cuttings for commercial cut flower orchards.
A new option for the production of rooted cuttings, now available in South Africa, is a range of bio-degradable pots, strips and plugs from Jiffy®. From this range, a 60 × 60 × 100 mm deep, square Jiffy-Strip was selected to evaluate as a potential alternative for the production of rooted cuttings for cut flower orchards.
Vegetative cuttings of two cultivars in each of the genera Leucadendron, Leucospermum and Protea were set in both perforated plastic bags as well as in square Jiffy-Strips using standard commercial propagation mix and rooting hormone.
Rooting of cuttings was carried out in a naturally ventilated fog house without bottom heat.
The handling process from the nursery to planting of rooted cuttings in Jiffy-Strips was less time consuming as there was no need to remove a bag.
There was less root damage during transplanting, thus effectively lowering losses after planting.
Rooting percentages, root structure and costing were also compared for the two different systems tested.
This bio-degradable, zero-waste system has the potential to be a viable alternative for the production of rooted cuttings for commercial cut flower orchards.
Publication
Authors
H.B. Hettasch, E.-L. Bezuidenhout
Keywords
Leucadendron, Leucospermum, Protea, rooting percentage, vegetative propagation
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