Growth Response of Croton (Codiaeum variegatum pictum L.) to Aloe Vera Gel and Indol-Butyric Acid in Different Propagation Media

Croton is a species of plant in the genus, Codiaeum, which is a member of the family, Euphorbiaceae. They have a wide range of variations in leaf shape and coloration that have fascinated breeders, landscapers, horticulturists, and gardeners and a huge number of cultivars have been fixed for commercial production. Because of this crotons are in very regular demand and there is the need for fast propagation methods, with low cost and that assures the formation of vigorous, high-quality seedlings. The study, therefore, assessed the growth response of croton cuttings to different growth media and plant growth hormonesviz: Aloe vera gel and IBA. A 3x3 factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) made up of three growth media (coco peat, sawdust, and topsoil) and two levels of growth-promoting hormones (Aloe vera gel and IBA) and a control was used. The study was carried out at the Multipurpose Crop Nursery at the College of Agriculture Education, Mampong Campus. Data was collected on sprouting response, the number of leaves, and the number of roots. The results indicated that the different growth media and hormones influenced sprouting response of croton at days to 50%, 70%, and 100% sprouting significantly (p > 0.05). Croton cuttings that were grown on topsoil and treated with Aloe vera gel recorded earlier days to sprout. The number of leaves and roots was higher among croton cuttings grown on topsoil and treated with Aloe vera gel. On the other hand, croton cuttings grown on sawdust recorded the least number of leaves at 28, 42, 56, and 70 DAP.). The results were similar for the number of roots. The study concluded that croton cuttings that were grown on a combination of topsoil and Aloe vera gel resulted in the earliest shoot response and a higher number of roots and leaves followed closely by those of IBA.