EFFECTS OF AUXINE AND PUTRESCINE TREATMENTS ON ROOTING OF LEAFY CUTTINGS OF THREE HAZELNUT CULTIVARS

The effects of IBA, putrescine and collection time on the rooting of cuttings of Italian hazelnut cultivars ‘Tonda Gentile Romana’, ‘Tonda di Giffoni’ and ‘Nocchione’ were investigated. IBA concentrations of 0, 1000 and 2000 ppm were applied to subapical and one-year-old leafy cuttings collected during late June, late July and at the beginning of September. In addition, cuttings collected in September were treated respectively with 0, 1000 and 2000 ppm IBA + 1600 ppm putrescine concentration. Rooting ability was evaluated about two months after planting for each treatment and collection time. Rooting of hazelnut leafy cuttings was promoted by IBA treatments, mainly in ‘Nocchione’ and ‘Tonda di Giffoni’ when the collection time was in June and September. ‘Tonda Gentile Romana’ cuttings rooted poorly, but showed the best rooting (~80%) when treated with 1000 ppm of IBA and 1600 ppm of putrescine in subapical leafy cuttings collected at the beginning of September and tested in November, confirming that putrescine can be a useful substance for increasing rooting percentage and root quality in cuttings of some hazelnut cultivars, as obtained on cv. ‘Tonda Gentile Romana’.