RESPONSE OF OLIVE CULTIVARS TO AIR-LAYERING AT VARIOUS TIMINGS

An experiment was conducted to evaluate asexual propagation of olive cultivars through air layering. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangements having four replications. Timing factor was allotted to main plot while various cultivars were kept in sub plots. Layering was done at different times, i.e. 15^th May, 15^th June and 15^th July in various olive cultivars i.e. Pendallino, Coratina and Hamdi. Shoots were wounded by complete removal of ring bark just below the buds in the month of May, June and July. Garden soils were used to cover the wounds on shoots. Maximum number of days to rooting (30.12) was taken by layering in Pendallino, root diameter (0.15) cm in Hamdi and Coratina and root length (5.84 cm) in Hamdi, while maximum number of roots (10.97) was observed in Pendallino and percent plant survival (60.24%) was recorded in Coratina. Minimum no of days to rooting (28.11) and number of roots (6.22) were recorded in Coratina. While minimum root diameter (0.14 cm) and root length (2.78 cm) were observed in Pendallino and minimum percent plant survival (55.16%) in Hamdi. In case of timing Maximum days to root initiation (37.19) was taken by layer made on 15 May. While higher root diameter (0.16 cm), root length (5.21 cm) and number of roots (12.25) were noticed by the layers, which were made on 15 June. Maximum plant survival (64.44%) was recorded in the layers, which were made on 15 July. While minimum days to rooting (21.97) and lower root diameter (0.13 cm) were noticed by layer made on 15 July. Minimum root length (3.08 cm) and percent plant survival (47.55%) was recorded by the layer made on 15 May.