Effect of Different Levels of IBA on Growth and Development of Air-Layers in Annual Moringa cv. PKM-1.

Drumstick tree or ben tree refers to Moringa, classified into annual and perennial moringa and both are cross pollinated. Maintenance of genetic purity in annual moringa is being the biggest challenge, since the seeds exhibit wide variation. With this objective, asexual propagation method viz., air layering was carried out in Cv. PKM-1 to propagate the genotype and to maintain genetic purity as clone. The experiment was carried out in randomized block design with five replications and four treatments (IBA 500, 1000 and 1500 ppm) and control along with cocopeat as media at the mini orchard, Department of Horticulture, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during 2014–15. The root initiation in the layers was observed from 20^th day at 1500ppm to 28^th day in control. Earlier root development was observed at 30^th day inplants treated with 1500ppmof IBA, followed by 1000ppm (34^th day) and 40^th day in control. The plants were hardened and the percent success of regeneration as clone was higher in the layers treated with IBA at 1500ppm (82%) and least in the control with 54%. Dwarf plants were obtained from layers treated with 1500ppmwith increasedstem girth at the time of flowering. From the above study, air layering proves to be an innovative breeding tool to maintain the genetic purity in moringa. The propagules are maintained as clone and hence the vigour.