Vol. 10, Issue 12 (2021)

The stem cutting of Dragon fruit treated with five growth regulators viz IBA, NAA, Humic acid, Humic+ Fulvic acid and Sea weed extract to observe the distinctive responses to rooting and shooting growth of Dragon fruit cutting.

Different growth parameters exhibits the different responses for different growth regulators, The study reveals that, least number of days taken for root initiation (15.42), length of longest root at 30, 60 and 90 DAP (5.11,10.1 and 21.43 cm), average number of roots per cutting (10.75,15.08 and 27.5), average length of roots per cutting (4.13,8.18 and 13.85 cm), Root diameter (0.57,0.70 and1.55 mm), fresh weight and dry weight of root at 90 DAP (2.50 g and 1.21 g respectively), in case of Shoot parameter least number of days taken for sprouting (17.25), number of sprouts per cutting at 30, 60 and 90 DAP (1.13,1.94 and 3.13), Length of sprout and shoot (2.48,6.01 and14.98 cm), shoot diameter (2.58,3.79 and 4.88 mm), fresh weight and dry weight of shoot at 90 DAP (49.53 g and 7.53 g respectively), as well as, highest root to shoot ratio (0.16) were recorded in cutting treated with IBA @ 7000 ppm (T₃). Among the different plant growth regulators, IBA @ 7000 ppm was found to improve root and shoot growth of dragon fruit under shade net condition.