Response of IBA and NAA on Shoot Development in Stem Cuttings of Dragon Fruit [Hylocereus undatus (Haworth) Britton & Rose]

Abstract

A study was conducted during 2019-2020 for a response of IBA and NAA on shoot development in stem cuttings of Dragon fruit. The plants can be propagated through both sexual means, such as seeds, and asexual methods, like stem cutting. Sexually propagated seedlings require more than three years to bear fruit. While some species of dragon fruit may naturally root and shoot without the need for exogenous auxin treatment, the majority do not readily develop roots and shoots, necessitating specific propagation techniques.The study aimed to standardize the different types of growth regulators and their concentrations, aiming to determine their positive correlation with the rooting and shooting percentages of dragon fruit stem cuttings. The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design comprising nine treatments and three replications. Stem cuttings of dragon fruit treated with IBA, NAA, and their combinations demonstrated that the minimum number of days taken for sprouting (8.10), best-sprouting percentage of shoots (51.13%), number of sprouts per cutting (2.05), sprout length (14.45 cm), diameter of the shoot (3.35 mm), average number of spines per areoles (4.15), fresh weight of shoot (52.6 g), and dry weight of shoot (10.48 g) were recorded in cuttings treated with IBA 4000 PPM. This was likely due to the stimulatory effects of exogenously applied auxin (IBA) on the initiation of new shoot tips in stem cuttings as compared to NAA.