Effect of rooting media and different polythene wrappers on air layering of pomegranate (Punica granatum) cv. Bhagwa

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in Horticulture Research Field, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj during July, 2023 to September, 2023 with an aim to identify the most suitable treatment combination with rooting media and polythene wrappers under agroclimatic conditions of Prayagraj. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design with twelve treatments replicated three. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different rooting media viz., Sphagnum moss, Sawdust, Garden soil, Garden soil+ Sphagnum moss, Sphagnum moss + Sawdust, Garden soil + Sawdust and wrapping material (White transparent polythene, Black polythene) air-layers in Pomegranate. Among these different rooting media Black polythene + Sphagnum moss (50%) + Sawdust (50%) treated air layers produced days to root initiation (18.18), maximum rooting percentage (95.45), maximum number of primary (15.18) and secondary roots (30.81), Maximum length (13.37cm) of primary and secondary roots (4.38cm) and maximum diameter of primary roots (1.48 mm) and secondary (1.97 mm), number of leaves per air layer (41.51 at 30 days) and 60 days (49.25) and 90 days (61.25), maximum plant height (68.25). The same rooting media produced highest fresh weight of roots and shoots. Among the different wrapping material, Black polythene found as an effective for most of the rooting characters and survival percentage.