EFFECT OF AUXINS AND ROOTING MEDIA ON ROOT INITIATION AND ROOT DEVELOPMENT OF DRAGON FRUIT (HYLOCEREUS UNDATUS) STEM CUTTINGS UNDER SUB MOUNTAINOUS CONDITIONS OF PUNJAB

Abstract

Shortage of uniform, well-rooted planting material is one of the main bottlenecks in the expansion of dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) cultivation in India. This study examined how two auxins, alone and in combination, interact with three rooting media to influence root initiation and root development in dragon fruit stem cuttings under the sub mountainous conditions of Punjab. Ten treatments were tested in a completely randomized design with three replications: IBA (5000 ppm), IAA (200 ppm) and IBA + IAA, each in soil, cocopeat or soil + cocopeat (1:1, v/v), and an untreated control in soil. Root traits were recorded at 30 and 60 days after planting (DAP). Treatments differed significantly for all traits except rooting percentage. The earliest root initiation (14.53 days) occurred in IBA + cocopeat (T4), compared with 23.57 days in the control, and T4 also gave the most roots per cutting (12.90 and 18.27 at 30 and 60 DAP). IBA in soil + cocopeat (T7) produced the longest root (6.57 and 12.24 cm), the greatest average root length (5.77 and 11.90 cm), the largest root diameter (0.91 and 1.62 mm) and the highest root dry weight (0.59 and 0.93 g) at 30 and 60 DAP, respectively. Rooting percentage was statistically similar across treatments (73.33–96.67% at 60 DAP), indicating that dragon fruit cuttings root readily even without auxin. Under the tested nursery conditions, IBA 5000 ppm with soil + cocopeat gave the best-developed root system, whereas IBA with cocopeat alone favoured early and numerous roots. Field establishment of the rooted cuttings was not evaluated and needs confirmation.