Effect of Indole-3-Butyric Acid (IBA) and Different Potting Media on Sprouting, Rooting, Growth and Survival of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Kandhari through Hardwood Cuttings under Agro-climatic Conditions of Prayagraj

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted during 2025–2026 at the Horticulture Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, SHUATS, Prayagraj, to study the effects of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and different potting media on sprouting, rooting, growth and survival of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Kandhari hardwood cuttings. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) with twelve treatments and three replications, comprising three potting media—sand, sand + vermicompost, and sand + cocopeat + vermicompost—combined with IBA at 1000, 1500 and 2000 ppm, along with their respective controls. The application of IBA in combination with a suitable potting medium significantly improved sprouting, growth, rooting and survival of the cuttings compared with the untreated control. The earliest sprouting (10.97 days), the highest number of sprouts per cutting (5.75), number of leaves per cutting (17.00), leaf area (16.33 cm²), chlorophyll content (39.17 SPAD), fresh shoot weight (8.90 g), dry shoot weight (4.39 g), sprouting percentage (79.00%) and survival percentage (78.75%) were recorded with sand + vermicompost + IBA @ 2000 ppm ( ). The highest number of roots per cutting (33.98), root length (15.35 cm), fresh root weight (2.40 g), dry root weight (1.31 g) and rooting percentage (66.97%) were recorded with sand + cocopeat + vermicompost + IBA @ 2000 ppm ( ). The control recorded the lowest values for practically all parameters studied. IBA @ 2000 ppm combined with sand + vermicompost (T7) gave the best sprouting, growth and survival, while sand + cocopeat + vermicompost + IBA @ 2000 ppm (T11) gave the best rooting, confirming the central role of IBA in adventitious root initiation. These results support the use of sand-vermicompost/cocopeat media with IBA @ 2000 ppm for economical, large-scale multiplication of pomegranate cv. Kandhari in the Prayagraj region.