Studies on novel method of propagation in guava through leaves

In the present study, an attempt on the propagation of Lucknow 49 guava was made during 2020–21 through leaves. The tender, just matured leaves (3^rd leaf from shoot tip) and matured leaves (4^th leaf from shoot tip) were collected, and the petiole portion of the leaves were dipped in 1,000 and 2,000 ppm of Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for 1 and 2 minutes, thereafter the treated guava leaves were planted in 50 cavity (4.5 cm top diameter, 3.2 cm bottom diameter, 4 cm depth, 50 ml capacity) protrays containing well decomposed cocopeat (pH-6.7, EC-0.5 ms/cm, nitrogen -0.36%, phosphorus -0.75%, potassium -1.13%) mixed with Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride and kept under 50% shade net. The leaf age and concentration of IBA exerted a significant effect on rooting, shoot formation and survival of plants propagated through leaf. Just matured leaves dipped in 2,000 ppm IBA for 1 minute (T₁₁) was found best for rooting (35.17 days) in guava leaves, rooting percentage (78.67%), root length (21.67 cm), number of roots/leaf (34.83), time taken for shoot formation (65.33 days), shoot length (12.77 cm) and survival percentage (80.56) of leaf propagated plants. If guava leaf propagated plants are similar in terms of growth and yield to other vegetative propagated plants, leaf propagation will be a novel, easy, innovative and best method of mass multiplication to escape from guava root knot nematode, Meloidogyne enterolobii.