ABSTRACT
Cattley guava (Psidium catteyanum Sabine) is a widespread native plant species of South America and constitutes important genetic resources for the improvement of guava trees. Fruits of these species are consumed by wild animals and extracted by local human populations. However, the vegetative propagation of adult plants, which is necessary for fixing desired characteristics, has been inefficient. The objective of this work was to evaluate the rescue of adult plants of P. cattleyanum by herbaceous and semi-hardwood cuttings for the establishment of clonal mini-gardens and to evaluate the rooting potential of mini-cuttings of different genotypes. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial scheme with the treatments being different propagule or propagation techniques (herbaceous and semi-hardwood cuttings from mother plants cultivated in the field and by mini-cuttings), with five repetitions and six propagules per plot. The potential for multiplication by the mini-cutting technique and plant vigor were evaluated for 20 genotypes of cattley guava during three seasons of the year (autumn, winter and summer). The use of semi-hardwood cuttings is feasible for the rescue of adult plants and the establishment of clonal mini-gardens. The mini-cutting technique provided the highest rooting percentage, and was most efficient in summer. The genotypes evaluated varied in rooting percentage and plant vigor.
Keywords:
Psidium cattleyanum; Mini-cuttings; Herbaceous cuttings; Semi-hardwood cuttings