Vegetative Plant Propagation
Rooting Hormones
Most cuttings are treated with synthetic hormones that are available in powder and liquid form, and some preparations may contain chemical fungicides (e.g., Captan). Synthetic hormones can be purchased ready to use or can be mixed by growers to specific concentrations using ingredients purchased from horticultural suppliers. Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and naphthaleneacidic acid (NAA) are the most widely used synthetic auxins. Often, mixtures of IBA and NAA are more effective than either component alone
Powdered Products
Most growers prefer powders because several commercial products of varying strengths are available, they are easy to use, and large quantities of cuttings can be treated quickly. Powder must be applied uniformly to all cuttings; variable amounts of rooting powder adhere to the base of a cutting, which can affect rooting results. The following precautions and special techniques are necessary when using powders:
Liquid Products
Liquid products are formulated with alcohol and often must be diluted with great care to create the desired strength. Some of the advantages of using solutions are the availability of a wide range of commercial preparations, specific concentrations can be formulated at the nursery, and they can be stored for longer periods under the right conditions. Some growers believe that liquid solutions are more accurate than powders regarding the amount of rooting hormone entering the stem tissue. The most common procedure for treating cuttings with liquid products is the quick-dip method in which the base of the cutting is dipped into the solution for 3 to 10 seconds. Whole bundles of cuttings can be treated at once. An alternate method is to soak cuttings for a longer time in a more dilute hormone solution. The following precautions and special techniques are necessary when using liquid products:
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