Abstract

Closed environment and controlled irrigation techniques are conventionally used to root camu-camu stem cuttings. But development of other techniques of camu-camu propagation is required for smallholder growers in Peru, who cultivate camu-camu on restingas, old river levee fragments on the margins of white-water rivers. Additionally, the month in which cuttings are collected from camu-camu restingas plantations could influence their rooting capacity, influencing the effectiveness at the propagation bed stage. Here, we test propagation systems (enclosure and outdoor) and types of irrigation (watering daily with without basal reservoir and weekly watering with basal reservoir) and their combined effect on rooting of camu-camu, collected at different phenological stages (flowering and fruiting). An outdoor propagation system and weekly irrigation with basal reservoir was sufficient to root camu-camu, and can be recommended for smallholder growers of camu-camu in Peru. Phenological stage had no significant effect on either rooting percentage or camu-camu root growth. Thus, restingas camu-camu cuttings can be collected during the dry season. There was an overall average of 52% of saplings formed (cuttings with presence of roots and shoots) and 69% of cuttings with roots.

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