Efficacy of Plant Growth Regulator and Soil Media on Rooting, Growth and Survival of Stem Cuttings of Punjab Baramasi Lemon [Citrus limon (L.) Burm] in Sub-mountainous Zone of Punjab, India

Lemon [Citrus limon (L.) burm] is one of the most popular fruit of the citrus group in India and around the world as well. Mostly, lemons are propagated through air layering and cutting methods of vegetative propagation. But the study on the effect of plant growth regulators and soil media on stem cuttings of Punjab Baramasi lemon, in particular, are scarce, especially under sub-mountainous agro-climatic conditions. Therefore, the present study was planned to find the efficacy of plant growth regulator and soil media on rooting, growth and survival of stem cuttings of Punjab Baramasi lemon [Citrus limon (L.) Burm] in the sub-mountainous zone of Punjab, India and to develop a protocol for the optimum rooting hormone concentration and growth media for faster multiplication and early production of true-to-type nursery plants to meet the increasing demand of fruit growers/farmers of the region. The healthy and disease-free hardwood stem cuttings were obtained from one-year-old shoots of 5-6-years-old mother plants of Punjab Baramasi lemon in the month of February. The basal portion of the cuttings was dipped for one minute in different doses (500ppm, 1000ppm, 1500ppm and control) of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) plant growth regulator to induce rootings and planted in different growth media (garden soil, sand, farmyard manure, vermicompost, cocopeat) in polythene bags with different treatment combinations and control (without IBA+ garden soil). Stem cuttings of Punjab Baramasi lemon treated with IBA 1500ppm and planted in garden soil + sand+vermicompost+cocopeat (1:1:1:1) growth media in the month of February were found best for rooting, vegetative growth, and survival percentage in the Gurdaspur sub-mountainous zone of Punjab.