Vegetative propagation of Molave (Vitex parviflora Juss.)

Shoot and nodal cuttings of Molave (Vitex parviflora Juss.) derived from overgrown seedlings were subjected to seven treatments involving growth promoting substances such as Superthrive, Revicon and Indob Butyric Acid (IBA 200 ppm) and their combination with Murashige and Skoog's (MS) mineral medium. The experiment was laid out in a 2x7 factorial in CRD. Conditions were kept uniform by subjecting all experimental units inside an improvised chamber that provided a continuous supply of fine mist in order to capture the effects of the seven treatments. Percent survival, percent rooting, number and length of macroroots, number of secondary roots as well as number of length of shoots produced were the bases for assessing the response of test materials to the treatments. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed the seven treatments did not reflect significant effects on either shoot tip or lower node cuttings. However shoot tip cuttings had significantly higher survival, greater rooting, more and longer macroroot and shoots as well as more number of secondary roots produced than the lower node cuttings. Although the treatments were not significant, the trend showed the control to have the least survival rate of 66% compared to treatment responses that ranged from 75% (IBA 200 ppm) to 84% (Revicon). Rooting percentage is also lowest in the control with 48% and the highest response (71%) from cuttings subjected to MS and Superthrive. There was no significant interaction observed between the two types of cuttings and the seven treatments. The rooted shoot tips were subjected to an acclimatization experiment in two kinds of substrates and three fertilization treatments. Shoot tips exhibited better response interms of survival, nodal, shoot and leaf production when raised in the pure garden soil media. The addition of 1 gram NPK to the soil improved survival and growth of the rooted cuttings. The results of the acclimatization ex periment on the effect of mycorrhizal inoculation on rooted nodal cuttings of Molave was not significant, however better survival, nodal, shoot and leaf production was observed in the inoculated cuttings compared to the cuttings which were not inoculated with mycorrhiza.