Cloning technique: research article!

Advanced Techniques
1

Vegetative propagation of cannabis by stem cuttings: effects of leaf number, cutting position, rooting hormone and leaf tip removal.

Canadian Journal of Plant Science
Vol. 0: , Issue. ja, :
https://doi.org/10.1139/CJPS-2018-0038

This study evaluated the influence of the several factors and their interactive effects on propagation success using stem cuttings of cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.). Factors included: (i) Leaf number (two or three) (ii) leaf tip removal (1/3 of leaf tips removed) (iii) basal/apical position of stem cutting on the stock plant, and (iv) rooting hormone (0.2% indole-3-butyric (IBA) acid gel or 0.2% willow (Salix alba L.) extract gel). Cuttings were placed in a growth chamber for twelve days then assessed on their rooting success rate and root quality using a relative root quality scale. The IBA gel delivered a 2.1 times higher rooting success rate and 1.6 times higher root quality than the willow extract. Removing leaf tips reduced rooting success rate from 71% to 53% without influencing root quality. Cuttings with three leaves had 15% higher root quality compared to those with two, but leaf number did not influence rooting success rate. Position of cutting had little effect on rooting success or quality. To achieve maximum rooting success and root quality, cuttings from either apical or basal positions should have at least three fully expanded, uncut leaves and the tested IBA rooting hormone is preferential to the willow-based product.

http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/CJPS-2018-0038

7 Likes
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Interesting read. I’ve never really bothered doing fancy cuts and trying to slim them down. Usually just chop a goods growth tip maybe 5 or 6 inches and leave about five fully intact leaves and they almost always root aside from one particularly difficult strain I have.

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The article doesn’t really cover the massive effect temperatures and humidity levels have on success rates, but the rest is very interesting. I’m going to look for testing of aloe as a rooting agent next.

What I’m taking away from it is that you shouldn’t ever cut the leaves unless you’re removing them. The rest was already stuff I was doing, because of my own trial and error.

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