Evaluation of Honey as a Rooting Adjuvant for Cutting Propagation of Three Common Nursery Crops

Authors: BOWDEN, ANTHONY - University Of Arkansas; KNIGHT, PATRICIA - Mississippi State University; RYALS, JENNY - Mississippi State University; COKER, CHRISTINE - Mississippi State University; LANGLOIS, SCOTT - Mississippi State University; BRODERICK, SHAUN - Mississippi State University; BLYTHE, EUGENE - University Of California, Riverside; Sakhanokho, Hamidou

Submitted to: Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/22/2025
Publication Date: 1/24/2025
Citation: Bowden, A.T., Knight, P.R., Ryals, J.B., Coker, C.E., Langlois, S.A., Broderick, S.R., Blythe, E.K., Sakhanokho, H.F. 2025. Evaluation of Honey as a Rooting Adjuvant for Cutting Propagation of Three Common Nursery Crops. Agriculture. 15(3)/256. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15030256.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15030256

Interpretive Summary: Plant propagation is one of the most labor-intensive processes in the nursery and greenhouse industry, and the availability of labor remains a critical issue for nurseries and greenhouses. Current methods of applying root-promoting compounds to cuttings often result in widely variable rooting responses, so the development of alternative application methods that could enhance labor efficiency and rooting uniformity is desired. The objective of this study was to explore the potential benefits of adding honey to rooting media to enhance rooting capability of various species, including Red Cascade™ miniature rose (Rosa ‘MOORcap’), common camellia (Camellia japonica), and southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’). Rooting responses varied across species. This study represents a novel examination of honey as a rooting adjuvant in an academic setting. While honey did not enhance rooting in camellia or rose cuttings enough to justify the additional cost, its use in magnolia cuttings shows promise, suggesting that multiflora honey may offer economic benefits for producers by improving both root number and quality.

Technical Abstract: Plant propagation is a labor-intensive process in the nursery and greenhouse industry, with labor accounting for 41.4% of expenditures in 2019—$4.8 billion of the $11.6 billion total. Labor availability remains a critical issue, and current methods of applying root-promoting compounds to cuttings often yield inconsistent rooting responses. This research investigated honey as a rooting adjuvant and its effects on rooting in Red Cascade™ miniature rose (Rosa ‘MOORcap’), common camellia (Camellia japonica), and southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’). For Red Cascade™ rose, adding honey to water-soluble indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) solutions did not improve root counts compared to IBA alone. However, 1000 µL·L-1 IBA produced more roots than 250 µL·L-1 IBA. Camellia and magnolia cuttings were treated with multiflora, Manuka, or commercial honey, alongside IBA rates of 0 to 4500 µL·L-1. In camellia, honey type or auxin rate did not significantly affect rooting, but local and multiflora honey combined with higher IBA rates increased root counts. For magnolia, multiflora honey improved both root number and quality, outperforming other treatments. While honey showed limited benefits for camellia and rose, multiflora honey demonstrated potential economic advantages for magnolia propagation, enhancing root quality and quantity for producers.