The use of phytohormones in production of fruit tree rootstocks in nursery without irrigation

Abstract

The most commonly used phytohormone to reduce the impact of drought is 24-epibrassinolide (EBR). In this study, EBR was applied over two years on young rootstocks of peach (B-VA-1) and myrobalan (Vanovice myrobalan) seedlings. Young rootstocks were treated by EBR at different concentrations, IAA and a mixture of EBR with IAA. The best results in seedling height of Vanovice myrobalan in both years had the treatment of 0.05% IAA, 549.69 mm (2016) and 553.77 mm (2017). On the other hand, on the crown root thickness was affected the most in 2016 by treatment of EBR 0.06 ppm (5.5 mm) and in 2017 by EBR 0.01 ppm (7.5mm). At B-VA-1 rootstock, the highest seedlings in 2016 were measured after EBR + IAA treatment (1573.18 mm) and in 2017 after IAA treatment (682.75 mm). The highest thickness of the crown root was recorded in 2016 after EBR and IAA (17.76 mm) and in 2017 after EBR 0.1 ppm (8.08 mm) treatments. At more than half of the treatments the control variant was evaluated as a variant with the least satisfying results. According to the results EBR and IAA are possibly increasing the quality of the rootstocks in conditions of a nursery without an irrigation.