FACTORS AFFECTING ROOTING ABILITY OF COLEONEMA-ASPALATHOIDES

Rooting of Coleonema aspalathoides was found to be affected by the cut ting type (soft or semi-woody), concentration of indolebutyric acid (I BA) solution in which cutting bases are immersed prior to rooting, dur ation of the immersion, as well as the photoperiod and shading of stoc k plants. The most successful rooting was obtained with soft cuttings pretreated for 4 h with 250 ppm IBA. Shading of stock plants also impr oved rooting ability. The rooting ability is seasonal and was found to decline during the plant's natural flowering season. Under controlled environmental conditions, rooting ability declined as the plant appro ached peak flowering. Cuttings taken from stock plants exposed to full y inductive conditions (short days, 12:17-degrees-C night/day) exhibit ed lower rooting ability than those taken from stock plants grown unde r semi-inductive conditions (long day, 12:17-degrees-C night/day.