Excellent Results Using IBA-K Indole-3-butyric Acid Potassium Salt to Promote Rooting in Kiwifruit Cuttings

Treating kiwifruit cuttings with IBA-K yields superior rooting results. Trials using a rapid dip method—immersing *Actinidia chinensis* hardwood cuttings in a 5,000 mg/L IBA-K solution for 3 seconds—achieved survival rates of 81.9%–91.9%, with an average of more than 10 roots per cutting. For softwood cuttings, a rapid dip in 500–1,000 mg/L IBA-K resulted in rooting rates of 95%–100%.

The optimal season for hardwood cuttings is from late February to mid-March. Select one-year-old shoots from the middle or lower sections of the plant, cutting them into lengths of 10–15 cm with diameters of 0.4–0.8 cm; seal the upper cut end with wax and treat the base. For the rapid dip method, immerse the base of the hardwood cutting in 5,000 mg/L IBA-K for 3–5 seconds before planting in a sterilized sandy soil seedbed. Softwood cuttings can be soaked in 200–500 mg/L IBA-K for 3 hours before being planted in a sandy soil seedbed.

Note that for hardwood cuttings, the seedbed soil temperature should be maintained at 19–20°C initially, then adjusted to 21–25°C after the wound has healed. For softwood cuttings, select semi-lignified shoots from the middle or lower sections of the current season's growth, retaining 1–2 leaves; after treatment, maintain the seedbed temperature at approximately 25°C. The seedbed must be kept sufficiently moist, ideally maintaining a relative humidity of 95%.