Abstract

The aim of this study is to propagate fig nursery plants with bud cuttings in relation to use vegetative material more effectively. Well grown and lignified one-year-old shoots with 15-25 cm length and two years old branches having a considerably short one-year-old shoot on its tip were cut into pieces in 5-8 cm length which have at least one bud. Cuttings were classified as tip (1)(≤0.9 cm), middle (2)(9.1-1.1 cm) and bottom (3)(≥1.3 cm) bud cuttings of year-old shoot and tip (4)(≤1. cm), middle (5)(1.1-1.3 cm) and bottom (6)( ≥1.6 cm) bud cuttings of two-years-old or older branches. Cuttings were grouped as the cuttings will be rooted in mist unit (A) and directly planted in production beds prepared in field (B). Data obtained in the research evidence that cuttings prepared from different parts of the one or two years-old-shoots and branches were rooted in high ratios in mist unit in perlite. The highest rooting ratio obtained from tip bud cuttings of one-year-old shoots which rooted in mist unit. Even though cutting types which rooted in mist unit were included in different groups in statistical meaning, their numerical values are so close to each other and they showed a distinctively high level of rooting compare to cutting types planted in the field. Results showed that fig nursery plants can be produced successfuly by rooting of bud cuttings of one and two year old branches in mist unit and then growing in bags. Bud cuttings planted in the field dried in field conditions. 

Key words: Fig, Ficus carica, bud cuttings, propagation, rooting.