Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,143,482 members, 7,781,441 topics. Date: Friday, 29 March 2024 at 02:27 PM

Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation - Agriculture - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Agriculture / Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation (66975 Views)

Aregbesola Interacts With Farmers In Their Cocoa Plantation (pics) / Cost Analysis/How To Setup Plantain Plantation In Nigeria With Pictures / Meet Tomtato – A Plant That Grows Tomatoes Above Ground And Potatoes Below (2) (3) (4)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (Reply) (Go Down)

Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:00pm On Aug 03, 2014
MARCOTTING/ AIR LAYERING: TURN A PLANT INTO A PLANTATION

Hello, I would like share a method of plant propagation that I feel has a lot of potential.


Marcotting, also called Air Layering is an asexual or vegetative method of plant propagation in which a new plant is made from a mature, established parent plant.


It is a very easy and quick way to multiply or propagate woody plants. In this method of plant propagation, roots are induced to form on a part of the parent plant (by causing a sort of “wound” or “cut” and then covering it up) while it remains aerial (above ground), hence the term Air Layering.


I have tried and tested this method of propagation of many plants which include Citrus plants (Lemon, Orange etc.), Moringa, African Apple, African Star Apple (agbalumo), Teak, Molina, Rubber, Basil (Ewuro), Thyme (Efinrin) and some woody decorative plants, and I have recorded success.


I hope to share my methods with fellow NLanders because I have searched on this forum and I haven’t found a related, comprehensive article on this method of propagation and I believe it would be beneficial to agriculturists who may want to start a plantation of some plants listed above.

8 Likes 4 Shares

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:05pm On Aug 03, 2014
There are many advantages of Marcotting which include:


Exact replica of parent plants: You get exact copy of the parent plant. This is better than planting from seeds which may produce new, different, undesirable species.


Fast fruiting time: Unlike planting from seeds, which may take many years, a marcotted plant will definitely take a shorter time to fruit. Heck, you might event start seeing flowers in months.


Cheap: if you have purchased seedlings of Lemon or Orange from NIHORT before, coupled with cost of transportation of the seedlings, you will appreciate this method of propagation once you realize how easy it is. After eliminating or reducing the above cost drastically, you just need a parent plant.


Low mortality rate: Since there won’t be much stress of transportation from place of purchase, and since you will make them yourself, you will choose the best branches to propagate. Hence, there is high rate of survival.


A source of income: This is a sure, quick way to make some money. You can make marcotts and in about 2 months, have hundred new plants from a single plant.


There is also a disadvantage.
Diseases or defects from parent plants could be transferred to new plants. This can be avoided by selecting a healthy, matured plant as specimen for propagation.


I would like to humbly share my little knowledge with the rest of NLanders who are into Agric, who also intend to start a Plantation of above mentioned plants (and more) or want to make some little income with little or no cost at all.


That Orange, Grape, Lemon or Rubber tree in your compound, that you prune its branches yearly so it won’t overgrow; why not transform those branches into new plants that you could sell?


You will also have a wonderful feeling of accomplishment people get when they “create” something and watch it develop.

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:19pm On Aug 03, 2014
LIST OF MATERIALS NEEDED


To propagate by Marcotting, you need the following:

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:24pm On Aug 03, 2014
1. A mature, healthy Parent Plant, with plenty, fast growing shoots and branches.

1 Like

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:25pm On Aug 03, 2014
2. A very sharp Knife.

3 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:26pm On Aug 03, 2014
3. Some twines. I make use of thin burnt transformer copper wires.

3 Likes 1 Share

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:29pm On Aug 03, 2014
4. Polythene bags/ Nylon (Preferably Transparent ones).

3 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:31pm On Aug 03, 2014
5. A twig to for tacking the ploythene bag around the branch (to hold it in place). I use broom sticks.

2 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:34pm On Aug 03, 2014
6. Rooting Medium. Any soil type will do. I use loam soil though. I also mix with cow dung, or Oil Palm and Coconut husks, or any organic manure you can find.

4 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:36pm On Aug 03, 2014
PROCEDURE OF MARCOTTING/ AIR LAYERING

1 Like 1 Share

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:37pm On Aug 03, 2014
1. Choose a healthy looking branch from the selected parent plant.

You will be able to identify a healthy branch with the number of shoots on it and how fresh it looks.

How long or thick you want the branch to be depends entirely on you. I use branches as thick as a pencil.


Note that the thicker or longer your branch, the more rooting medium you will require, hence bigger polythene bag to contain the rooting medium.

Also note that you may need to support the branch afterwards so it won’t bend downwards.

3 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by boluwajokosegun: 4:38pm On Aug 03, 2014
Yes III are right & l can testify that it works better if u know d history of d tree.
Weldon, OP, please connect me on eesteereource@gmail.com for some ideas

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:41pm On Aug 03, 2014
boluwajokosegun: Yes III are right & l can testify that it works better if u know d history of d tree.
Weldon, OP, please connect me on eesteereource@gmail.com for some ideas
. Thanks. Pls keep refreshing the page. I am still posting and editing to make it easier for people to read.

1 Like

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:44pm On Aug 03, 2014
2. Make a cut (or if you like, a “wound”) of about 2 centimeters wide on the branch just below a node (where a leaf joins a branch; the roots form here).

Peel off the flesh of the branch here (check the picture for illustration) in such a way that it doesn’t cut the cambium (the woody part of the branch below the peeled flesh.

Scrape off the milky part remaining on the woody part of the branch too to prevent healing (imaging you are peeling the flesh off cow’s leg till it reaches the bone and also scraping the bone clean of tendon).

Make sure the cut is smooth and clean.

3 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:50pm On Aug 03, 2014
3. Wrap the polythene (I will start using the word "Nylon" from now) round the “wound” and tack it in the form of a tube with the broom stick.

2 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 4:58pm On Aug 03, 2014
4. Tie up the end (as shown in picture) in such a way that it resembles a cup that you can pour something (rooting medium) into from the top.

3 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:00pm On Aug 03, 2014
5. Pour the rooting medium (loamy soil) into the Nylon, making sure it covers the “wound” completely. Also compact the medium into the Nylon well to take more rooting medium. Put as much as the Nylon can take.

1 Like

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:04pm On Aug 03, 2014
6. Tie off the top end of the Nylon. Make sure the cut or if you like, “wound”, is completely covered.

1 Like

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:06pm On Aug 03, 2014
Now, all that remains is to WAIT.
It takes about 3 to 4 weeks for roots to appear, depending on how thick or long (or both) the selected branch is. I mostly leave mine for about 8 weeks. By then, enough roots would have appeared.

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:07pm On Aug 03, 2014
If the amount of roots formed is enough for you, cut off the branch just below the end of the Nylon. The Nylon must be with the branch. That will be the new energy source for the plant. You now have a new plant.

5 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:12pm On Aug 03, 2014
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!
You have just propagated a new plant by the method of Marcotting / Air Layering. Easy, right?

3 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:14pm On Aug 03, 2014
You can make as many new plants as you want, as long as there are enough branches left on your parent plant.

3 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:16pm On Aug 03, 2014
I usually make use of transparent “Nylons” so as to enable me to see the progress of root formation. This will let me know when to cut off the marcot.

3 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:17pm On Aug 03, 2014
You can plant your new marcots directly into the ground if you have a final place for it already, or you can plant them temporarily in potting bags to make them grow further before final transplant. This is necessary when the marcots grow roots in the dry season and you want to cut them off to make more.

2 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:24pm On Aug 03, 2014
That’s all, people.
I hope you find this beneficial and not a waste of time.
For more information, you can contact me through my profile page.
Please, I would appreciate comments, contributions, as this is my first topic. Nobody is an ultimate in knowledge.
Also, if you attempt this, please let us know your results. Post pictures too if you can.

Thanks!!!

35 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:31pm On Aug 03, 2014
Basil plant (Ewuro) propagated by marcotting

1 Like

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:32pm On Aug 03, 2014
100 Lemon marcots sold recently

5 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 5:48pm On Aug 03, 2014
I hope the Mods who are reading this help me make it a FP post. I believe its a very informative post that will benefit a lot of people. I also hope veteran posters show me the ropes of how to make my post reach more NLanders. Thanks.

9 Likes

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by anienge001: 12:03am On Aug 04, 2014
I like the simplicity of this method. When I start my desired plant, I hope to try this.

Kudos!!

1 Like

Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by irukandji89(m): 3:40pm On Aug 04, 2014
anienge001: I like the simplicity of this method. When I start my desired plant, I hope to try this.

Kudos!!


thanks...... If you don't mind, pls let. Me know your desired plant, so i can also try it, if i haven't already
Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by felixzo1(m): 4:03pm On Aug 04, 2014
can i do this with mangoes ,citrus
Re: Marcotting/Air Layering: Turn A Plant Into A Plantation by anienge001: 4:33pm On Aug 04, 2014
irukandji89:


thanks...... If you don't mind, pls let. Me know your desired plant, so i can also try it, if i haven't already

I am still in search of pomegranate(rumman in hausa). Do you have it?

1 Like

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (Reply)

Palm Tree Growing Inside A High Tension Electric Pole In Delta State (Photos) / Big Python I Killed In My Farm Today And What Has Become Of It. / Yam Growing On Tiles (Pictures)

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 31
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.