This trial was carried out during two successive seasons of 1997-1998 and
1998-1999 at Zohria Garden Ministry of Agriculture. Terminal cuttings of Ficus retusa
cv. Hawaii including 5 leaves and 15 ern in length have taken at monthly interval from
August to July and dipped in ISA for 10 seconds at different concentrations of 1000,
2000 and 3000 ppm as well as the control which did not receive any concentration of
ISA and planted immediately in plastic pots 15 cm in diameter in green house and
subjected under intermittent mist conditions. The obtained results indicated that cuttings cultivated from May to July failed to
form any roots while the other cuttings planting dates differed significantly in their
effect on rooting ability, since the initial roots formation enhanced in the cuttings
cultivated in March subsequently, the successful cuttings percentages increased to
'maximum ranking 75.03% followed. by February planting 73.8 %while August planting
produced the minimum 36.9%,thereafter rooting percentages progressively increased
linearly from August to March regardless the effect of I SA. Cuttings treated with ISA ameliorated the successful 'of rooting compared with
untreated in particular the level of 2000 ppm which increased the rooting percentage
from 52% in control up to 70.3 %, whereas both of 1000 and 3000 ppm produced 65.4
and 61.9% respectively regardless the effect of planting dates. The cuttings cultivated
in March and treated with 2000 ppm ISA improved roots number, stem height" fresh
and dry weight of roots while 3000ppm produced the longest roots where the mean
values of those parameters were maximized . On the other hand the cuttings
cultivated in December produced the minimum values. The superior growth parameter
exhibited in March, February and August planting respectively and the reduction of
growth was in slope descending in the cuttings planted from August to December. The cutting planted in March induced the highest mean values in total phenols,
Indole compounds in above roots of basal cutting portion and total carbohydrates in
leaves, followed by February planting while the least values accompanied August
planting. There is no noticeable effect on total phenol and Indole content in above roots of
cutting basal portion due to ISA treatments, while the effect was more pronounced on
total carbohydrates in leaves specially the level of 2000 ppm, which increased it to
maximum values compared with control. Therefore it can be recommended that March month is the best planting date
followed by February and it should not plant the cuttings of Ficus retusa cv. Hawaii
through summer months (May, J.une, July) where the cuttings failed entirely to form
any initial roots even though they were treated with ISA