Two experiments were conducted aiming to determine the possibility of "Duke 7" cultivar cloning by air-layering and the influence of IBA (indol-butyric acid). Experiment 1 - air layering on seedlings - The experimental design used was entirely randomized, in factorial arrangement 2L x 4N x 2E, corresponding to submission or not of plants to light (L), levels of IBA (N) and type of green house (E). During four days before the air-layering, 50% of the plants were kept under total absence of light (L1) and the others under normal conditions, 50% of luminosity. In the place where a strip of bark was removed the concentrations (L2) of IBA 0, 1000, 3000 e 5000 mg kg-1 were applied. The experiment was conducted in two different green houses: E1 and E2, the differences between them were temperature and luminosity. Experiment 2 - Air-layering in plant after drastic trim - The air layers were performed, five months after drastic trim, when the shoots were from 1,5 to 2,0 cm in diameter, when a strip of bark was removed. The experimental design used was entirely randomized in a factorial arrangement, with four treatments, characterized by IBA concentrations (0; 1.000; 3.000 e 5.000 mg kg-1), with four replications and each plot composed by ten air-layering, removing a strip of the bark of 2,0 cm in diameter. There was no rooting of air-layers, in both experiments, consequently, more studies related to "Duke 7" cultivar cloning are needed, aiming to use it as rootstock.
avocado; auxin; rooting; girdling
