Propagation of Carissa edulis using stem cuttings for domestication and conservation in Uganda

Abstract

Carissa edulis is a plant of 5m high at maturity. It grows in the Savannah woodlands of Uganda and is commonly found on ant-hills. Carissa edulis is used as a remedy for treatment of headache, chest complains, rheumatism, oedema, gonorrhea, syphilis, sickle cell anaemia, cough, ulcer, tooth-ache, and worms.  Poor harvesting methods of Carissa edulis for medicine such as uprooting the whole plant threatens its existence. Its seeds are scarce because ants, birds and animals eat them hence propagation by seed is a challenge. Carissa edulis has not been in cultivation therefore its most suitable propagation method is unknown. These create the need to explore the most appropriate propagation method for Carissa edulis as a means of capturing its germplasm from the wild for purposes of its domestication, conservation and continuous availability to the communities. An experiment was conducted at the National Forestry Resources Research Institute, Uganda with an objective of investigating the best method of propagating Carissa edulis using stem cuttings.  The cuttings were categorized into softwood, semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings and 50 of each treated with Indole-butyric acid (IBA) in concentrations of 0.6 w/w and 0.8 w/w plus a control and replicated 3 times.The rooting media used included: sterilized sand and soil and milled Pine bark (soaked in water for a night).  Results showed the best method for propagation of Carissa edulis is by use of softwood stem cuttings treated with IBA rooting hormone of 0.8 w/w and placed in sterilized Sand as propagation medium.