Effect of indolbutiric acid on medium and apical cuttings of lenten tree (Tibouchina fothergillae Cogn.)
Lenten trees, as known some of the species of the genus Tibouchina, are native plants from Brazil used in landscape
design projects. The species can be propagated through seeds and cuttings. The objective of this work was to study the
influence of indolbutiric acid concentrations and different immersion times on apical and medium cuttings of Tibouchina
fothergillae. Medium and apical cuttings were collected from mature branches and cut in segments with three nodes and two
leaves with half of the leaf area. Cuttings were treated with IBA, in concentrations of 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg.L-1, for 0,
1 and 5 minutes of immersion. The cuttings were placed in a plastic tray having sand as a substrate and moved to a green
house with intermittent vapor irrigation during 56 days. The results showed that IBA increased the number of leaf formed
in apical cuttings up to the concentration of 812,5 mg.L-1. There was influence of IBA on height of plants, number and
length of sprout, in medium and apical cuttings. Larger root of length in medium cuttings was observed to the concentration
of 1225 mg.L-1of IBA. Thus, the IBA did not influence the rooting process in this species.