COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN SAPONIN AND NATURAL AUXIN ON ROOT GROWTH OF ROSEMARY (ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS L.) CUTTING

The influences of exogenously saponin and natural auxin (IAA) on rosemary root growth (considered as root length, number, and weighs) was evaluated. Terminal and basal cutting of rosemary was subjected to six concentrations of saponin or auxin (0, 1, 10, 100, 1000, and 2000 ppm) for 1 and 2 hours. The highest saponin and auxin doses (2000 ppm) inhibited or completely prevented (in most cases) the rooting especially with 2 hours time of soaking. The low doses from both auxin and saponin promoted cuttings root growth more than the control. The optimum root growth was observed when cutting were subjected for 1 hr to the moderate levels or for 2 hrs to the lower levels from IAA or saponin.