Effects of BA and Leaf Piece Orientation on Adventitious Bud Formation in Leaf Cutting of Begonia Tuberhybrida Group

Abstract

We studied the effects of the type of leaf cuttings, 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) application, and the section position and orientation of leaf pieces on adventitious bud formation in leaf cuttings inserted in rockwool beds, using expanded young leaf blades of Begonia Tuberhybrida Group ‘Tenella’. In BA absence, 73% of whole leaf blades with petioles formed adventitious buds, whereas none of the 2 × 1.5 cm leaf pieces did at all. The percentages of surviving and adventitious bud formation of 2 × 1.5 cm leaf pieces without petioles were 47% and 0%, respectively. When these small leaf pieces were inserted in rockwool beds containing 0.25–2 ppm BA, the percentages of surviving and adventitious bud formation were 100% and 80%, respectively. In BA presence, the percentage of adventitious bud formation became lower from the base towards the tip of the leaf, and the leaf pieces at positions 2 cm away from the leaf bases did not form adventitious buds at all. When they were placed horizontally and vertically inverted, the percentages of adventitious bud formation were 60% and 80%, respectively.