Growth of Lantana cuttings (Lantana camara L.) in response to light intensity, a phytoregulator and a maturation retardant

Abstract

Lantana (Lantana camara L.) is one of the ornamental species that currently has the greatest demand in international markets. Its way of multiplication is by cuttings to guarantee generations of new plants identical to the mother plant. This research was carried out on the Las Limas farm located in the department of Estelí, km 153 Pan-American Highway, Nicaragua, during the period from September 2022 to January 2023. It was experimented with the Lantana varieties “Copo de oro”, “Sonrisa de rosa” and “Pequeña amarilla”. The effect of three light intensities (54, 130 and 200 µmol m^-2 s^-1) on the growth of the cuttings was evaluated; In addition, the effect of the phytoregulator Ethrel® 48 SL was tested at doses of 0, 25, 50 and 75 ppm to control floral sprouting and defoliation of cuttings; while to achieve the physiological preservation of the cuttings in greenhouse conditions, the maturation retardant 1-Methylcyclopropene was used in doses of 0, 2, 3 and 5 ppm. With light intensities of 130 µmol m^-2 s^-1, better statistical results were obtained compared to exposure to light intensity of 54 µmol m^-2 s^-1 in the variables cutting length, length of the central vein of the leaf and number of roots per cutting. The addition of 75 ppm of the phytoregulator Ethrel® 48 SL reduced the length of cuttings and length of internodes, but the number of shoots per cutting increased and inhibited floral sprouting. With 7 ppm of 1-MCP the three lantana varieties presented the best results of the evaluated variables, which favors obtaining plants with good morphological characteristics.