Efficacy of Growth Regulators on Sprouting of Bush Pepper Cuttings (Piper nigrum L.)

AbstractBush pepper propagation through cuttings often faces challenges in sprouting and growth, necessitating effective use of growth regulators to enhance establishment and productivity. Hence, the present study was carried out in Sirumalai, located in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, over the period 2020-2022. The experimental setup followed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), comprising 12 distinct treatments with three replications each. The findings indicated that treating with Indole-3-Butyric Acid (IBA) at 1000 ppm notably improved the shoot growth characteristics. Specifically, it reduced the time required for sprouting (18.89 days), increased the sprouting percentage (78.64%) and improved the leaf area (104.03 cm2) at 180 days after planting (DAP). Furthermore, it promoted shoot height (34.96 cm and 42.77 cm), increased the number of leaves (4.48 and 9.51) and enhanced leaf dimensions (length: 6.40 cm and 9.88 cm; width: 4.52 cm and 8.00 cm) at both 90 and 180 DAP. These results were statistically on par with the effects observed at a higher IBA concentration of 1250 ppm, whereas the untreated control exhibited the least favourable growth outcomes. In conclusion, this investigation identified IBA at 1000 ppm as the optimal treatment for promoting rooting, sprouting and overall growth performance in bush pepper cuttings.