Vegetative propagation of Berberidopsis corallina Hook.f., an endangered species, endemic to Chile

Abstract

Berberidopsis corallina is an endangered vine endemic to Chile, which is difficult to conserve due to its small number of remaining populations and its recalcitrance to reproduce by seeds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the rooting ability of cuttings collected at different times and treated with varying concentrations of the auxin indole- 3-butyric acid. Semi-ligneous cuttings were collected from plant material found in Trongol Low (Curanilahue 37º 28’S, 73º 20’W, Arauco province) during the summer, autumn and winter of 2006. Cuttings of 8-10 cm in length were rapidly immersed in solutions with different concentrations of indole-3-butyric acid (0, 500, 1,500, 3,000, 5,000 ppm). The effect of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and collection time of the cuttings on their adventitious rooting potential were evaluated five months after rapid immersion. Significant differences existed with regard to the time of collection, with a higher percentage of rooting observed in cuttings collected in winter (93%); however, between the treatments there were no significant differences. The highest number of roots was obtained when autumn cuttings were treated with 500 ppm IBA, yielding an average of 8.1 roots per cutting. The authors conclude that B. corallina can be vegetatively reproduced via cuttings without exogenous hormone addition if the cuttings are selected during winter and autumn from plants in Trongol Low, which allows for the efficient propagation of this endangered species.