CHEMICAL INDUCTION OF AXILLARY BUD DEVELOPMENT IN FICUS ELASTICA ROBUSTA

Single stemmed stock plants of Ficus elastica robusta were sprayed with Atrinal and the morphactins, flurenol (10, 100 and 1 000 ppm) and chlorflurenol (1, 10 and 100 ppm). Leaf-bud cuttings were harvested 28 days after treatment and rooted with a bottom heat of 30°C. Rooting, early bud development and subsequent leaf production were assessed.

Morphactin treatments reduced rooting and early bud development, while leaf production was reduced at the highest levels.
Atrinal treatment resulted in an 18% increase in leaf production compared with a 20% increase for the standard manual pinch.
However, Atrinal treatment produced a more uniform batch of plants, but there was a suppression of regeneration in the treated stock plants.

Symposium on Propagation and Raising of Nursery Stock

F.M. Hodge, J.V. Morgan

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1978.79.14