ABSTRACT
Turnera subulata is an herbaceous and ruderal species, known in Brazil as Chanana, Damiana or Flor-do-Guarujá widely used as an ornamental plant as well as in folk medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cutting position on the plant and the presence or absence of leaves in the T. subulata propagation. In the first experiment the treatments were a) median cutting with a bud and without leaves, b) with a bud and two leaves, c) with two buds and without leaves and d) with two buds and two leaves. In the second experiment we evaluated apical, median and basal cuttings combined with leaves and without leaves. We evaluated length and number of roots, number of leaves, dry matter of roots, rooting and survival. The cuttings with two buds and two leaves had higher root length (10.5 cm), number of roots (18.5), number of leaves (6.6), dry mass of roots (0.48 mg), percentage of rooting (90%) and survival (100%). The basal cuttings with leaves had higher root length (10.5 cm), number of roots (18.5) and leaves (6.6), the highest percentage of rooting (96.8%) and survival (100%). Cuttings with one bud and apical cuttings have a lower survival rate, around 70%. For the T. subulata propagation we recommend the use of basal cuttings with two leaves.
Keywords:
Chanana; rooting; cutting.
