Root segments cuttings of <i>Vitex doniana</i> Sweet: effect of origin and alignment

Abstract

Vitex doniana (Verbanaceae) is one of the most popular local species among farmers in the high Guinean savannah of Cameroon.  Unfortunately, it is under anthropogenic pressure and this tures to reduce its population. The objective of this work was to study the  effect of the origin and the alignment of the cuttings of the root segments on budding and rooting. The origin of the cuttings (Dang, Poli)  constituted the main treatment and their alignment in the substrate represented the secondary treatment. The cutting of the root segments was carried out according to an experimental device in split-plot with three replications. The experimental unit consists of 10  cuttings. A total of 180 cuttings of root segments (2×3×3×10) were handled. It emerged from this study that cuttings from root segments  of different origins reacted differently to vegetative propagation by cuttings. Cuttings from Poli budded better (67.77±26.82%) than those  from Dang (36.66±12.24%). The analysis of variance showed a significant difference (0.0001˂0.001) with regard to the origin of the  cuttings. The alignment of the cuttings in the substrate also affected budding. The vertical and oblique alignment had the best budding  rates (63.33%). The buds appeared mainly at the proximal pole of the cuttings (44.44±26.6%). As for rooting, the cuttings from Poli took  better root (57.41±9.32%) than those from Dang (26.35±6.2%). These results contribute to the optimization of the domestication  strategies of this species. The domestication of this species of socio-economic interest could contribute to improving the living conditions  of local populations.