Effect of propagation media on the rooting of leafy stem cuttings of Irvingia wombolu (Vermoesen).

2 Abstract: The e ffect of propagation media o n the ro oting potentials of juvenile stem cuttings o f Irvingia wombolu was a ssessed in an experiment co nducted at t he Teaching and Research Farm of th e Delta State University, Asaba C ampus, Nigeria. Seven different propagation m edia na mely f ine s and (FS), a 50: 50 mixture of fine s and and sawdust (FS+SD), medium sand (MS), a 50: 50 m ixture of medium sand and sawdust (MS+SD), coarse sand (CS), a 50:50 mixture of coarse sand and sawdust (CS+SD), and sawdust (SD) were used for the experiment. The results revealed a significant (P = 0 .05) effect of media on rooting percentage with f ine s and recording 52. 7 % , coarse sand + s awdust (51.6 % ), Medium sand + sawdust (48.9 % ), medium sand (46.1 % ), fine sand + s awdust (43.9 % ), coarse sand (42.9 % ) and sawdust (41.5 % ). Similarly, root length and cutting m ortality w ere s ignificantly ( P < 0.002) influenced by m edia. From the r esults of this study, fine s and is r ecommended as an appropriate medi a f or optimum rooting of I. w ombolu stem cuttimgs. However, coarse sand-sawdust mixture may be an alternative.