Volume 24, Issue 73, January - June, 2023

Shortening the reproductive age of baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.) by air–layering

Salih Omer Tutu¹, Elshiekh Awadelkarim Ibrahim¹, Alia Suliman Ahamed¹, Muneer Elyas Siddig Eltahir²

¹Faculty of Natural Resources & Environmental Studies, University of Kordofan, Sudan
²Institute of Gum Arabic Research and Desertification Studies, University of Kordofan, Sudan

ABSTRACT

This research aims to shortening the reproductive age of Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.) by developing air–layering propagation method/s. The study was conducted around El Obeid, Sheikan locality, North Kordofan State during the period of 2017/2018. 1.5 – 2m long branches were selected from 30 elite trees. The treatments were 2 girdling types x 2 layering position x 3 branch size. These were arranged in factorial experiment (CRD). The success rate of rooting was extremely high, with 58 out of 60 branches (97.7%) showing signs of rooting by the end of 16 weeks. The results of study found that half (50%) of branches layered at mid position with size between 21 – 30 cm were success and rooting 50% and number of leaves/branches were measured in each layered branch. No significant differences were found between air layering type and position and branches size in the all-field experiments. In the field it appears that all branch position shows the best short 62 average rooting days in 21 - 30 cm branch size while at nursery stage successful layering branches showed shorter leafing days range between 20 to 25 days on average. Air layering methods should be used in order to recover natural populations, when seeds are not available or are available in reduced amount and the best season for baobab air layering was late winter in low-lying, hotter climates.

Keywords: Baobab, Reproductive, Air Layering, Kordofan, Propagation

Species, 2023, 24(73), e15s1015

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v24i73/e15s1015

Published: 16 February 2023