Vegetative propagation of Myrceugenia exsucca and Blepharocalyx cruckshanksii, swamp forest dominant species of the central depression of Araucanía region, Chile

Abstract

The Araucanía region in Chile is rich in wetlands, standing out the swampy forests of Myrtaceae located in the central depression, which are mentioned in the red book of the priority places for Chile^’s biological diversity conservation in the country. These forests are being intervened through drainage of their soils, logging and fret to fire, to obtain suitable soils for agriculture. The elimination of this type of ecosystems would mean an irreparable loss of the local biodiversity. The dominant species of this type of forest, Blepharocalyx cruckshanksii and Myrceugenia exsucca lack studies with regard to their regeneration capacity or vegetative propagation. The above mentioned situation can turn into a negative factor at the moment of planning strategies for their conservation. The aim of this work was to evaluate the capacity of in vivo rooting of semi hardwood stem cuttings of B. cruckshanksii and M. exsucca. The influence of exogenous auxins was analyzed. Cuttings collected in April 2008 at Pumalal sector, region of the Araucanía, Chile, were treated with indolbutyric acid (IBA) at different concentrations (0; 1,000; 1,500; 2,000 and 2,500 mg L^–1). After keeping the cuttings for four months in rooting beds with bottom heat, the survival percentage, stem rooting percentage and potential of root growth were evaluated. IBA only influenced rooting percentage and root length of B. cruckshanksii; with 41 % and 4.7 cm in average, respectively in 2,000 mg L^–1 concentration. In M. exsucca influence of IBA was not observed respect to control (P > 0.05).