The effect of benzyladenine and naphthalene acetic acid on rooting and subsequent growth of Portulaca umbraticola Kunth

Portulaca umbraticola Kunth stem cuttings were treated with BA or BA and NAA in different concentrations. BA was applied by spraying or by the quick-dip method. Independent of application type, in almost all of the treatments BA and BA applied with NAA increased the percentage of rooted cuttings, but had no effect on the number of roots, apart from BA in the 0.5 g dm^-3 concentration, which doubled the root number. Treatment with BA alone resulted in more intensive axillary shoot development, although only in one concentration (0.2 g dm^-3) did BA significantly influence the number and length of lateral shoots. BA applied together with NAA had no effect or inhibited lateral shoot development.

After measurement, rooted cuttings were planted in pots in order to assess subsequent plant growth. Our data indicated that the positive effect of BA on shoot development disappeared during the subsequent cultivation of the plants. BA alone applied by spraying did not influence the number and length of initial and secondary lateral shoots, whereas BA applied with NAA negatively influenced the length of initial lateral shoots as well as the number and length of secondary lateral shoots.