Beyond rooting: Enhancing post-root growth and vigor in ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) through an integrated propagation protocol

This study aimed to optimize leaf-cutting propagation of ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), which typically suffers from slow post-rooting growth. In the first experiment, four leaf cutting types (blade+rachis, blade, basal, and apical segments) were tested on four substrates: cocopeat (CP), cocopeat+perlite (CP+PL), peat moss+perlite (PM+PL), and vermicompost+vermiculite (VC+VM). Rooting success was high (>88%) across all treatments, but post-rooting growth varied significantly. Blade and blade+rachis cuttings on CP and PM+PL showed superior rhizome development, leaf area, and biomass, likely due to higher initial carbohydrate and nitrogen reserves. Based on these results, a second experiment evaluated the effects of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) at 0, 1000, and 2000 mg L-1 on the top-performing cuttings in CP and PM+PL. PM+PL proved optimal for root and rhizome growth due to its balanced water retention and aeration. The highest root volume (6.05 cm3), leaf area (51.5 cm2), leaf chlorophyll content (5.80 mg g-1) and plant fresh weight (15.93 g) were obtained by NAA application (2000 mg L-1) on blade+rachis cuttings in PM+PL substrate. These findings offer a practical protocol for efficient nursery production and large-scale propagation of ZZ plants.