THE INFLUENCE OF IBA (B-INDOLYL-BUTYRIC ACID) ON THE PROPAGATION OF KOLA (COLA NITIDA (VENT) SCHOTT & ENDL.) BY LEAF-BUD CUTTINGS

Some attempts to propagate kola leaf-bud materials prepared from terminal branches of mature as well as seedling kola using IBA are discussed. Cuttings obtained from 4 month old fleshes of mature trees as well as from well-hardened zones of young seedlings rooted successfully. The application of various concentrations of IBA by the dilute solution method (24 hour dip) after callus formation (post-callus application) improved rooting response through increased percentage of successfully rooted leaf-buds as well as increased number of root and root length per cutting. It was observed that if IBA was applied at appropriate time, rooting could be initiated as early as 4 weeks from striking the cutting as against a 6-week pre-rooting period often recorded. Only very slight if any supplementary influence was recorded when solutions containing varying proportions of IBA and NOXA were used, this indication pointing mainly to the superiority of IBA alone. Post callus pretreatment of leaf-buds with phenyl acetic acid and sucrose prior to IBA application yielded no positive results. Leaf-bud cuttings prepared from seedlings rooted easily and rooting was affected by concentration rather than the zone from which the leaf-buds were prepared.

Sprouting and resumption of activity by the bud of the leaf-bud cutting did not appear to be inhibited by the use of IBA. Both floral and vegetative developments were recorded. The size of plantlet appeared to depend on the size of the mother-leaf. The production of leaf-bud cuttings in kola if perfected could serve as a means of increasing available stock of materials especially those selected on ground of desirable characteristics.