Rooting Response of Semi-hardwood Cuttings of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) to Various Concentrations of Different Auxins

The study was conducted to investigate the influence of Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), Indole Butyric Acid (IBA) and Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) each at 0, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000 or 6000 ppm on the semi-hardwood cuttings of guava (Psidium guajava L.) Cv.Sufida taken in April, 1996.The cuttings were dipped in these solutions for 5 minutes.After treatment, the cuttings were planted and covered with transparent plastic sheet to arrest the water vapours for maintaining humidity.The experiment was laid out in the lathe house of Horticulture Section, Agricultural Research Institute, Tarnab, Peshawar.The auxins had no effect on the number of days to bud sprout whereas, sprouting in itself was significantly increased by IBA at 1000 and 3000 ppm and NAA at 2000 ppm with 79.84, 75.96 and 76.59% respectively.The highest survival (12.50%) was noted in the cuttings treated with IAA at 3000 and 6000 ppm, IBA and NAA both at 6000 ppm.IAA at 3000 ppm significantly increased the number of leaves (16) per cutting.The highest number of roots (23.75) per cutting was recorded in the cuttings treated with IBA at 4000 ppm.The significantly maximum root length (4.13 cm) was noted in the cuttings treated with IAA 3000 ppm.Cuttings treated with IAA at 5000 ppm and IBA at 4000 ppm exhibited significantly highest root weights of 16.25 and 16.62 g respectively.