Responses of Fig Cuttings (Ficus Carica) to Different Sowing Dates and Potting Media under Agro-Climatic Conditions of Haripur

Abstract

Background: Fig belongs to tropical and subtropical climates, and Haripur district being a subtropical area have great potential for successful commercial cultivation of figs. The most common method of fig propagation is by hardwood cutting, which is an easy and economical way of propagation. But lack of knowledge regarding suitable date of cutting collection and sowing and selection of appropriate potting medium severely limits the production of fig on a commercial scale.

Objectives: Current study was undertaken in order to identify suitable collecting dates of fig cuttings and to develop a suitable potting media for the successful establishment of fig cutting.

Methodology: The study was comprised of four different potting media i.e. Soil, Farmyard or Manure (FYM), Compost, Soil+FYM+Compost (1:1:1) and cuttings of fig cultivar Sawari were collected and sown on two different dates i.e. 1^st January and 15^th January in polyethene bags of uniform size. The experiment was laid in Complete Randomized Design (CRD).

Results: Results revealed that maximum Length of the root (9.8 cm), Shoot thickness (1.4 cm) and Number of leaves (4.1) were noted in FYM, whereas maximum days to Sprouting (18.5) and Survival percentage (82.3%) were noted in Soil+FYM+Compost (1:1:1). Whereas fig cutting sown on 15^th January showed maximum Days to sprouting (18.8), Length of the root (9.4 cm), Survival percentage (87.1%), Shoot thickness (1.8cm) and Number of leaves (4.6).

Conclusion: It can be concluded that FYM and 15^th January showed highest values of studied parameters.