Yogesh Kumar, B., Bhoomika, H.R., Narayan, S. Mavarkar, Ravi, C.S. and Nandish, M. S.
Abstract
Coffee cultivation relies on effective propagation methods to sustain and expand plantations. Clonal propagation is crucial technique, ensuring the consistent reproduction of elite coffee plants. Furthermore, the periodic manual removal of suckers not only maintains the coffee plants but also provides potential explants for vegetative propagation. Thus, an experiment was conducted to study the response of orthotropic and plagiotropic sucker cuttings of robusta coffee (Coffea canephora L.) at Adi nursery, Suntikoppa, Kodagu. The experiment consisted of 16 reatments comprising of two factors namely shoot cuttings (at two levels S1- orthotropic and S2- plagiotropic cuttings) and growth promoters (at eight levels G1-control, G2-IBA@1000 ppm, G3-IBA@2000 ppm, G4-NAA@200 ppm, G5-NAA@400 ppm, G6-Azospirillum @10g/bag, G7-VAM @5g/ bag and G8-Azospirillum @10g + VAM @5g /bag). Across all parameters, orthotropic cuttings consistently outperformed plagiotropic cuttings. G8 (Azospirillum @10g + VAM @5g /bag) found to be the most effective growth promoter for sprouting and shoot growth. Meanwhile, G3 (IBA @ 2000 ppm) showed superior results for root growth. Among the interactions, S1G8 (orthotropic + Azospirillum@ 10g/bag+VAM @5g/ bag) recorded highest values for shoot and sprouting parameters i.e., per cent sprouting, shoot length, number of leaves, leaf area and collar girth. On the other hand, S1G3 (orthotropic + IBA @ 2000 ppm) recorded highest values for root parameters i.e., longest roots, primary and secondary roots, root volume, and rooting percentage.