Leucadendron sp. ‘Safari Sunset’ is a hybrid of the species L. salignum and L. laureolum. It is commercially utilized as a cut flower or decorative foliage. The plant requires acid soils with low P levels, does not tolerate severe frosts, and has relatively low water consumption. These characteristics make the coastal area of the Seventh Region a suitable area for its cultivation. The main aim of this study was to evaluate different rooting treatments and the plant phenology of Leucadendron sp. ‘Safari Sunset’ in a field located in Lien, Curepto (35°05’ S. lat and 72°01’ W. long). Rooted cuttings were field-planted in December 1998; phenology, stem length, yield, and rooting of cuttings were evaluated. With respect to phenology, it was observed that bud growth started in October, the sprouts were in active growth throughout the summer, increasing in length until the end of March, when flowering started. In the second year, the stem length was on average 70 cm, the number of sprouts per plant was approximately 17, of which 5.7 were of commercial quality. The best rooting percentage was obtained with subterminal cuttings, with 74% of rooted cuttings, applying 4,000 mg kg-1 of indolebutyric acid (AIB) in liquid form. |
ChileanJAR
