CHARACTERISTICS OF HARDWOOD CUTTINGS INFLUENCE ROOTING OF ACTINIDIA-ARGUTA (SIEBOLD AND ZUCC) PLANCH

Root development of hardwood cuttings of Actinidia arguta was investig ated in relation to the size of cuttings and the number of buds. Dorma nt shoots of 13 Actinidia arguta cultivars and lines were cut into len gths varying from 3.5 to 18 cm and containing one to nine buds. After being treated with 0.3 % indolebutyric acid in talc, cuttings were stu ck into oasis foam cubes and placed under intermittent mist. Actinidia arguta lines and cultivars included 74-46, 74-55, 124-40, 125-40, 127 -40, 119-40-B, 'Meader Male', 'Meader Female #1', 'Geneva #1', 'Ananas naja', 'Michigan State', A. arguta cordifolia (Mig.) Bean 1563-51, and a New Zealand A. arguta cordifolia selection. Cultivar Significantly affected number of roots, root grade, and length of longest root. In g eneral, cultivars with the highest rooting percentages also had the mo st and longest roots and the highest root grades. The best cuttings fo r root formation had eight to nine buds (with three to four in active growth), diameters <2 mm, and lengths >10 cm. Cuttings with five to se ven buds (with one to three in active growth), diameters between 2 to 8 mm, and lengths >8 cm exhibited the best root development in terms o f number of roots formed, root length, and root grade.