Cutting and juvenile cutting as complementary strategies for the propagation and conservation of <i>Conocarpus erectus</i>

Abstract Introduction Limited seed availability constrains mangrove restoration, but vegetative propagation through cutting and juvenile cutting (mini‐cutting), supported by indole‐3‐butyric acid (IBA), a synthetic auxin that stimulates adventitious rooting, offers a scalable solution for Conocarpus erectus . Objectives To evaluate cutting and juvenile cutting (mini‐cutting) techniques, with and without IBA, for the vegetative propagation of C. erectus , supporting genotype rescue and effective ex situ conservation for mangrove restoration. Methods Cuttings of C. erectus were collected from mature stock plants. The effect of IBA was tested at 0, 2000, 4000, 6000, and 8000 mg/L in a completely randomized design with three replicates. A semi‐hydroponic system was used to evaluate mother plants (mini‐stump) survival and sprouting capacity. Juvenile cuttings were rooted under greenhouse conditions with IBA concentrations of 0, 4000, and 8000 mg/L, following a randomized block design with four replicates. Data were analyzed using one‐way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's test for mean comparison, and polynomial regression to assess dose–response trends. Results Conocarpus erectus reached 56–57% rooting cuttings at 4000–6000 mg/L of IBA and up to 75% in juvenile cuttings. Mini‐gardens proved highly effective for C. erectus , achieving 100% mini‐stump survival and producing 388 sprouts/m 2 (5.8 sprouts per stump at 15 × 10 cm spacing). Conclusions Cutting is a reliable propagation method for C. erectus , whereas juvenile cuttings are highly efficient, particularly when combined with IBA at 4000 and 6000 mg/L.