Multiplication of blueberry mini-cuttings in different growth media

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of length of herbaceous cuttings and substrates on the multiplication of ‘Woodard’ and ‘Briteblue’ blueberry cuttings. The experimental design was entirely randomized. Four replicates of 10 cuttings per plot in a 3x2 factorial arrangement, three cutting lengths (5, 8, and 12 cm) and two types of substrate (rice hull ash and coconut fiber) were evaluated. The cuttings were collected in two seasons: summer and fall. After the cuttings were prepared, they were placed in perforated plastic boxes containing each substrate for rooting, which were placed in a mist chamber under intermittent mist. After 158 days, the following variables were evaluated: proportion of rooted cuttings, cutting survival, leaf retention, number of roots per cutting, root mean length, root dry mass, unrooted cuttings with callus, and the proportion of sprouting cuttings. The use of 5-cm herbaceous cuttings collected in the summer and grown in rice hull optimizes the multiplication of ‘Woodard’ and ‘Briteblue’ blueberry cuttings.