The genus Cinnamomum

62 P.N. Ravindran et al.
(2000) also reported that the use of IAA (100 and 500 ppm) gave better rooting (50%)
in hardwood cuttings.
Air layering
Air layering is also a successful method of vegetative propagation. Semi-hardwood
shoots are suitable for this purpose. Banerjee et al. (1982) found that application of 100
ppm gallic acid during air layering resulted in 80% rooting. Hegde et al. (1989)
obtained rooting in non-girdled shoots treated with 2500 ppm NAA. IBA 3000 ppm
when used in semi-hardwood cutting resulted in 70% rooting (NRCS, 1990).
Ranaware et al. (1995) tried different rooting media and sphagnum moss was found to
be the best. They also reported seasonal variations in rooting of air layers; 80% in July,
65% in June and no rooting during January and February (Ranawere et al. 1995).
Cassia
Table 2.9 Variability in rooting response among cinnamon genotypes
Elite line Rooting (%)
I year II year Mean
SL-5 58.4 62.6 60.5
(49.8) (52.3)
SL-44 18.6 32.5 25.5
(25.5) (34.8)
SL-53 3.4 10.4 6.9
(10.5) (18.7)
SL-63 7.8 18.6 13.2
(16.2) (25.6)
SL-65 1.7 8.6 5.2
(7.5) (17.1)
In-189 14.9 26.5 20.7
(22.6) (30.9)
In-203 10.8 21.8 16.4
(19.2) (27.8)
In-310 12.0 16.3 14.2
(20.2) (23.8)
In-312 0.0 6.6 3.3
(0.6) (14.9)
CD at 5% 18.4 13.5
Source: Rema and Krishnamoorthy, 1993.
Note
Figures within parenthesis are transformed values.
Cassia is propagated through seeds in the major growing countries like China and
Vietnam, and as a result wide variability exists in the progenies. Trials were conducted
at IISR, Calicut, to evolve a successful clonal method for propagating a few trees in
India, which were introduced many years ago. Two methods have been standardised.
Rooting of semi-hardwood cuttings of cassia was achieved by treating with IBA 500,