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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Poplarville, Mississippi » Southern Horticultural Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #417144

Research Project: Management of Diseases, Pests, and Pollinators of Horticultural Crops

Location: Southern Horticultural Research Unit

Title: Rooting response of Piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens) to auxin basal quick dip on single node cuttings.

Author
item RYALS, JENNY - Mississippi State University
item KNIGHT, PATRICIA - Mississippi State University
item WILLIAMS, HALEY - Mississippi State University
item LANGLOIS, SCOTT - Mississippi State University
item COKER, CHRISTINE - Mississippi State University
item DELPRINCE, JAMES - Mississippi State University
item BOWDEN, ANTHONY - Mississippi State University
item DRACKETT, PATRICIA - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: The Azalean
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/24/2024
Publication Date: 4/15/2024
Citation: Ryals, J., Knight, P., Williams, H., Langlois, S., Coker, C., Delprince, J., Bowden, A., Drackett, P. 2024. Rooting response of Piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens) to auxin basal quick dip on single node cuttings.The Azalean. 45:42.

Interpretive Summary: Native deciduous azaleas are difficult to propagate from cuttings. Very soft single node cuttings of Piedmont azaleas in this study rooted with or without the use of a basal auxin quick dip.

Technical Abstract: Piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens) is a deciduous azalea native to the southeastern United States as well as areas in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Cutting propagation reduces the variability observed when propagating from seed. As a whole, deciduous azaleas are known to be difficult to root via cuttings, however, piedmont azalea has been reported as moderate to easy to propagate from softwood cuttings. Piedmont azalea has been observed to root as softwood cuttings treated with a range of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) quick dips from 5,000 to 10,000 ppm. The objective of this research was to determine rooting response of very soft single node cuttings to a basal auxin quick dip in order to provide growers with relevant cutting propagation recommendations. Naturally occurring auxins are produced in newly forming tissues. Therefore, a low dose of endogenous auxin might encourage young plants to root faster and more efficiently than older cuttings. Results indicate that single node Piedmont azalea cuttings will root with or without the use of an auxin basal quick dip.