Department of Horticulture, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Studies on the effect of 0, 24, 48 and 72 h washing periods followed by 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm each of IBA and NAA growth regulators were conducted on the metabolic changes during rhizogenesis in peach x almond hybrid cv. ‘Slob’ cuttings. Various washing treatments per se were not effective in improving the rooting since these lowered the endogenous level of starch, total sugars, phenolics, total nitrogen, C/N ratio and HCN contents. The 72 h washing followed by 2000 and 1000 ppm IBA and NAA treatments respectively caused rooting in 20.30 and 11.70 per cent cuttings. Little rooting occurred in unwashed and untreated cuttings. Initial high level of HCN (265.7 ug/g) in the dormant cuttings might be one of the factors responsible for low rooting.
