A comparison of conventional cloning options for annatto (Bixa orellana L.)

Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) is a tree indigenous to tropical America that has been naturalised throughout the Indian sub-continent. The plant is chiefly valued for its carotenoid pigments, annatto. Methods for the clonal propagation of hardwood and softwood cuttings, air-layering, budding, and grafting of annatto were investigated. Hardwood cuttings collected during the wet Summer months (June-July) were treated with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), or naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at varying concentrations. The highest percentage rooting (63.4%), along with highest number of roots (8.33 per cutting) were achieved by hardwood cuttings after 12 h of 2.5 rnM IAA treatment. Among the various auxin treatments of softwood cuttings, 5.0 mM IBA in combination with 5.0 mM NAA for 5 min resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) rooting percentage (56.7%). The responses of softwood cuttings to an auxin analogue (boric acid) and/or to thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B) were inferior to synthetic auxins. When subjected to air-layering, hardwood branches gave 100% rooting without any application of hormone. Among the different types of budding methods attempted (patch, T, or I), patch budding produced the highest efficiency (78%) of propagation. Splice-grafting could also be used for conventional propagation of annatto, with a 50% survival rate. Annatto can therefore be cloned by adopting these methods. Propagation based on softwood cuttings facilitated moderate-scale cloning of this valuable, elite germplasm.