الفهرس 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Endogenous factorsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The current investigation was conducted at the Floriculture Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Egypt, during the 2016 and 2017 seasons on Ficus benjamina as well as F. elastica var. decora air-layers in two separate experiments. The aim is to determine the effects of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and/or beneficial microorganisms (Bacillus subtilis and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi “AMF”) on rooting and survival percentages as well as root and growth characteristics.
The treatments were arranged in factorial split-plot design with three replicates. Seven combined treatments between auxin concentrations and application methods (control, 50 and 100 ppm IBA in rooting substrate, 1500 and 3000 ppm IBA by painting girdled zone, 1500 and 3000 ppm IBA in talc paste) were assigned to the main plots. Meanwhile, the sub-plots comprehended the application of B. subtilis and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in addition to the control.
Data were recorded on rooting and survival percentages as well as root and growth characteristics of both Ficus species and revealed that:
- Statistical analysis recorded on air-layers performance exhibited significant differences for all characteristics under different application methods and concentrations of IBA compared with the control for both F. benjamina and F. elastic var. decora with resemblance results in most cases.
- Application of IBA at 3000 ppm by painting girdled zone was superior to other IBA treatments in enhancing rooting percentage, speed of rooting, number and volume of roots, root length and diameter as well as fresh and dry weights of roots per rooted air-layer.
- A clear relationship was observed between high rooting performance and total contents of both carbohydrates and phenolics as well as content of promoters and inhibitors in basal parts of rooted air-layer.
- A positive relationship was also noticed between high rooting performance and survival percentage, increment in plant height and number of leaves and shoots after three and six months from detaching air-layers from mother plants.
- All characteristics showed significant increase when air-layers were treated with B. subtilis or AMF compared to control with clear superiority of B. subtilis.
SUMMARY
The current investigation was conducted at the Floriculture Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Egypt, during the 2016 and 2017 seasons on Ficus benjamina as well as F. elastica var. decora air-layers in two separate experiments. The aim is to determine the effects of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and/or beneficial microorganisms (Bacillus subtilis and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi “AMF”) on rooting and survival percentages as well as root and growth characteristics.
The treatments were arranged in factorial split-plot design with three replicates. Seven combined treatments between auxin concentrations and application methods (control, 50 and 100 ppm IBA in rooting substrate, 1500 and 3000 ppm IBA by painting girdled zone, 1500 and 3000 ppm IBA in talc paste) were assigned to the main plots. Meanwhile, the sub-plots comprehended the application of B. subtilis and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in addition to the control.
Data were recorded on rooting and survival percentages as well as root and growth characteristics of both Ficus species and revealed that:
- Statistical analysis recorded on air-layers performance exhibited significant differences for all characteristics under different application methods and concentrations of IBA compared with the control for both F. benjamina and F. elastic var. decora with resemblance results in most cases.
- Application of IBA at 3000 ppm by painting girdled zone was superior to other IBA treatments in enhancing rooting percentage, speed of rooting, number and volume of roots, root length and diameter as well as fresh and dry weights of roots per rooted air-layer.
- A clear relationship was observed between high rooting performance and total contents of both carbohydrates and phenolics as well as content of promoters and inhibitors in basal parts of rooted air-layer.
- A positive relationship was also noticed between high rooting performance and survival percentage, increment in plant height and number of leaves and shoots after three and six months from detaching air-layers from mother plants.
- All characteristics showed significant increase when air-layers were treated with B. subtilis or AMF compared to control with clear superiority of B. subtilis.
- The combined treatment between IBA at 3000 ppm by painting girdled zone and B. subtilis recorded the considerable highest rooting (100%) and survival percentages (100%), root and growth characteristics as well as the total contents of both carbohydrates and phenolics and also the content of promoters and inhibitors in basal parts of air-layers.
Conclusions and recommendations
from the obtained results, it appears that treating air-layers of both F. benjamina and F. elastic var. decora with 3000 ppm IBA by painting girdled zone in combination with B. subtilis gave the best results regarding rooting and survival percentages, all root and vegetative growth characteristics, as well as the total contents of both carbohydrates and phenolics, followed by 3000 ppm IBA by painting girdled zone + AMF. Hence, this treatment is recommended for commercial production of the two Ficus species.