Abstract
The aim of this work was to compare 1- the rooting of simple and composed cuttings which are planted in different periods: autumn period (P1), the winter one (P2) and the spring period (P3), and 2- the rooting of fragments of one-year-old cladodes: basal fragment (BF), the medium one (FM) and upper fragment (FS) which are planted in different positions of plantation: normal position (PN), lateral position (PL) and reversed position (PR). Simple cuttings (B1) are composed of pads of one year and composed ones are constituted of 2 (B2), 3 (B3) or 5 pads (B5). Obtained results showed that all the types of cuttings have given roots for each period of plantation and all the types of fragments have given roots for each position of plantation. For the test of cuttings, percentage of areoles which emitted roots in regard to those which are in contact with soil (PAR) was higher for the treatments P1B1 (65.76%) and P1B2 (71.24%), and lower for the treatment P2B5 (16.60%). The number of emitted roots by cutting (NR) was higher for the treatments P1B3 (29.30) and P1B5 (28.31), and lower for P2B5 (8.06). Whereas the length of emitted roots by cutting (LR) was higher for the treatments P1B1 (14.09 cm) and P1B2 (14.88 cm), and lower for P2B5 (2.25 cm). For the test of fragments, PAR was higher for the treatments FB-PN (98.24%) and FS-PR (97.72%), and lower for FM-PR (6.43%). The NR by fragment was higher for the treatment FB-PN (17.44) and lower for FM-PR (0.50). Whereas LR by fragment was higher for the treatments FS-PN (8.73 cm) and FS-PL (9.03 cm), and lower for FM-PR (2.49 cm).