STUDY ON THE ASEXUAL PROPAGATION OF BILLBERGIA NUTANS H. WENDL. EX REGEL.

Abstract

Billbergia nutans H. Wendl. ex Regel (Bromeliaceae), is an ornamental species widely commercialized and produced by nurserymen. There is scarce diffusion and bibliography available in Spanish about the production and management of this species. Furthermore, the availability of improved species and hybrids is scarce in Argentina. The objective of this study was to develop a protocol for the asexual propagation of this species, useful for nurserymen. The first phase of the study was to propagate plants of Billbergia nutans by clumps division. Then, one group was subjected to apical bud removal of the growing apex (decapitation) by mechanical methods, while the other was a control group. Thereafter, variables such as number of offspring produced, length of offspring and leaves were measured. In the second phase, we evaluated the effect of the application of mineral nutrition with synthetic auxins on relative growth rate and root variables using RhizoVision Explorer (RVE) software (©Noble Research Institute, LLC). Apical bud removal by destruction of the apical meristem in Billbergia nutans plants generated a greater number of offspring and a better morphological conformation for the sale of seedlings for commercial purposes. In addition, decapitated plants had a higher relative growth rate with mineral nutrition with synthetic auxins.

Keywords

• billbergia nutans
• mineral nutrition
• synthetic auxins
• asexual propagation