Abstract:
Vegetative propagation potentials of stem cuttings of different physiological ages of Gongronema latifolia highly valued for its nutritional and medicinal properties in South-eastern Nigeria was studied during two seasons in Nsukka. A single source of stem cuttings of the different physiological ages (hardwood, semihardwood and soft wood) was taken from a clone in a forest in South-eastern Nigeria. Data collected on the attributes of the stem cuttings were analyzed using a computer software, Genstat 5 release (3.2). The study showed significant variability in rooting and shoot development and growth of shoots (seedlings) of the three physiological ages over the two seasons. Softwood stem cuttings had lower days to opening of apical bud and shooting (9 and 12, respectively) during wet season as well as higher percentage of rooted cuttings of 75 and 56% in dry and wet seasons, respectively. Similarly, hardwood and semi-hardwood cuttings showed lower days to opening of apical bud and shoot development in the dry season. Hardwood cuttings also had lower percentage of rooted cuttings (44%) during the wet season. However, it had longer vine in both seasons as well as higher number of shoots and leaves/cutting during the dry season. Vegetative stem cutting propagation of a selected clone of G. latifolia can thus be achieved with any of the physiological ages in both seasons at varying levels of success. Meanwhile, their propagation during the dry season when each (physiological age) gave more than seventy percent (70%) rooted cuttings is more reliable.
