P. Curir et al., INFLUENCE OF ENDOGENOUS PHENOLS ON ROOTABILITY OF CHAMAELAUCIUM-UNCINATUM SCHAUER STEM CUTTINGS, Scientia horticulturae, 55(3-4), 1993, pp. 303-314
Rooting trials were conducted with hardwood and softwood Chamaelaucium
uncinatum Schauer cuttings; softwood cuttings showed good rootability
, whilst hardwood cuttings did not root. A relationship between phenol
composition of cuttings and rooting ability was demonstrated. Softwoo
d cuttings are rich in flavonoids, while simple phenols prevailed in t
he hardwood tissues, and in particular a cinnamic acid derivative was
present in high concentration. The effect of each identified phenol on
adventive rhizogenesis was tested by the mung bean test: a promotive
activity was evidenced for some flavonoids present in the softwood tis
sues (isoorientin, orientin and luteolin), while the cinnamic acid der
ivative, found exclusively in the hardwood tissues, was a strong rooti
ng inhibitor.