The vegetative method of propagating <i>Adenia cissampeloides </i>

Abstract

To ensure availability of plant material of Adenia cissampeloides for successful and sustainable development of its extract for subduing African honey bees, suitable methods of its propagation, including its agronomic requirements were investigated. Vegetative method of propagation was used for the experiments: cuttings from vines in an active growth phase and those from aged vines were made from the mother plant. The former cuttings were classified according to the thickness of the vines as
1 cm and 2 cm thick vines and the latter cuttings were 3 cm thick. Sprouting and rooting of unsterilized, semi-sterilized and completely sterilized cuttings grown in different soil types were grown in the greenhouse. The disease-free cuttings, which rooted and sprouted, were cultivated in plastic bags containing sterilized soil. They were transplanted after four months to experimental plot maintained in partially cultivated forest area in the University Botanic Garden. The rate of growth of randomly-selected seedlings were recorded at monthly intervals for six months after transplanting. The results of the greenhouse experiments showed that the plant could be grown successfully in different soil types, including sandy soil using cuttings from vines in an active growth phase. It was also found that minimizing contamination by cleaning and sterilizing cuttings increased their success rate in rooting and sprouting. The seedlings transplanted in the field exhibited high growth and survival rates in humid forest environment. The commercial cultivation of the plant could, therefore, be feasible and cost-effective.

JOURNAL OF THE GHANA SCIENCE ASSOCIATION Volume 2 No. 3 (2000) pp. 153-157