Influence of IBA concentrations, zinc synergy and carrier agents on rooting and shooting attributes of rough lemon rootstock cuttings

Adequate indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) concentration enhances cutting success rates and promotes uniform root growth, resulting in healthy plants with the desired traits and higher yields. This research investigated the effects of different IBA concentrations (2000 ppm and 4000 ppm) on the rooting and shooting characteristics of rough lemon cuttings. The present study employed a random block design with nineteen treatments, each with three replicates. Furthermore, primary root count, secondary root count, root diameter, root length, fresh root mass, dry root mass root volume, rooting, root-to-shoot ratio, shoot diameter, shoot length, shoots number, leaves number, sprouting percentage, survival percentage, fresh shoot mass, dry shoot mass and leaf area were studied. The present study also employed a comparative analysis of carrier agents, i.e., talc and activated charcoal, in the application of IBA for rough lemon cutting propagation. The research explored the synergistic effects of zinc and IBA on the rooting and shooting aspects of rough lemon stem cuttings. The 2000 ppm IBA performed better than 4000 ppm in the rooting and shooting parameters of the rough lemon. The application of (activated charcoal powder + 2000 ppm IBA + 0.50 % ZnSO4) concentration had better effect on various shooting parameters of rough lemon cuttings. Cuttings treated with activated charcoal as a carrier agent for IBA demonstrated superior performance. Zinc at concentrations of 0.25 % and 0.50 % with IBA (2000 ppm and 4000 ppm) demonstrated superior performance as compared to IBA alone (2000 ppm and 4000 ppm) in various morphological attributes of rough lemon. This study highlights the optimization of horticultural practices for the successful propagation and cultivation of rough lemon plants.