Influence of rooting media and number of nodes per stem cutting on nursery performance of vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andr. syn. Vanilla fragrans)

Abstract

The effect of rooting media and number of nodes per cutting on nursery performance of vanilla fragrance were evaluated in South-western Ethiopia in 2011/ 2012. Six rooting media (forest soil, decomposed animal manure, fine sand, 1:1 mixture of forest soil: fine sand, 1:1 mixture of decomposed animal manure: fine sand and 1:1:1 mixture of forest soil: decomposed animal manure: fine sand) and four levels of node number (two, three, four, and five node cutting) were used in this experiment. Treatments were arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. The result revealed that interaction between the two factors was significant (P£0.05) for all parameters studied except sprouting percentage and root number. The highest shoot length, shoot girth, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weigh, leaf number, leaf area, leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight and root to shoot ratio were obtained from four node cuttings grown on a 1:1:1 mixture of forest soil: decomposed animal manure: fine sand rooting media, with the exception of the highest root length and rooting percentage of cuttings obtained from the rooting media containing pure sand. In addition highest root fresh weight, root volume and root dry weight were obtained from five nodal cuttings. Two nodal cutting grown on decomposed animal manure and pure fine sand media showed lower root initiation and shoot growth.   Key words: Vanilla fragrance, propagation, rooting media, node number.