Presented By:

Mr. Vishal Ramjattan

Mucurapo West Secondary
Class: Form Three
Objectives
At the end of this presentation students should know:
What is asexual plant propagation and the advantages
and disadvantages of this method.
What is Air layering.
A brief history of Air layering.
The steps involved in the process of Air Layering.




What is Asexual Propagation?
This is a form of propagation that involves the use of
plant parts, other than seeds to produce new plants.

Also called vegetative propagation.



What is Asexual Propagation? Contd
The stem or root which is rooted is called a layer.

The layer is removed from the plant only after rooting
has taken place.

Roots are formed on a stem while still attached to the
parent plant

Advantages of Asexual
Propagation

Relatively simple

Usually very successful

Some plants layer naturally Spider plant
(Chlorophytum comosum)
Disadvantages of Asexual
Propagation

Requires more time

Requires a lot of work by hand

Fewer plants can be started from each parent plant

What is Air-layering?

Air layering or marcotting is a form of asexual plant
propagation.

This process involves a system whereby new plants are
formed on a stem while still being attached to the
parent plant.





History of Air-layering?

Believed to have been developed centuries ago by the
Chinese.

Used successfully as a means of propagating some of
the more difficult-to-root plants.

Because it required excessive care and patience, air
layering was used only by highly trained
agriculturalists.
The process of Air-layering
Once Again, this process involves a system whereby
new plants are formed on a stem while still being
attached to the parent plant.
Click here for image

It eliminates burying part of the plant in the soil.

Instead, a part of the stem is girdled.

It is done on plants with woody stems e.g croton,
hibiscus, ficus

The process of Air-layering
The procedure is to wound the stem or branch of a plant
and enclose the wounded stem with a rooting medium
until roots develop from the wounded area.

Success is dependent upon the ability of the propagator to
keep the rooting medium moist until the roots are formed
and large enough to support the new plant.

Since the development of polyethylene bags air-layering
has become a practical method of propagation for the
home gardener and amateur horticulturist.
Examples of plants that can be
Air-layered:
Ficus
Rubber Tree
Persian Lime
Magnolia
Gardenia
Rose
Fig


Materials needed

Ficus plant Damp cocoa moss




Materials needed
Rooting hormone Clear polythene plastic
bags


Materials needed
Rubbing alcohol to Cotton balls
sterilize blade




Materials needed
Rubber gloves A sharp budding knife


Materials needed
String brush
Safety precautions
1. Care should be taken when using the budding knife
so as not to cause injury to oneself or others.

2. Gloves should be worn at all times to insure that
rooting hormone does not come into contact with
skin.
Safety precautions
1. Clean and
sanitize all
equipment
prior to use
Procedure for Air-layering
1. Select a
branch from a
healthy plant.
Stems of
pencil size
thickness or
larger are best
and remove
any leaves
that are
present.


Procedure for air layering
2. The chosen stem is
girdled i.e using a
sharp budding knife
two circular cuts are
made on the stem at 3
c.m apart.

Procedure for Air-layering
3. A third cut is then made to join both circular cuts and
the bark of the stem is removed.

Procedure for Air-layering
4. The cambium
layer is gently
scraped at the
exposed region.
Procedure for Air-layering
5. The exposed layer is covered with rooting hormone
using a paint brush.

Procedure for Air-layering
6. Moistened
cocoa moss is
applied and
gently squeezed
around the
exposed area.

Procedure for Air-layering
7. The plastic
polythene bag
is then wrapped
around the
cocoa moss and
tied at both
ends with
string.

Procedure for air layering
8. Leave to set for
3-4 weeks to
allow for callus
and root
formation

Procedure for Air-layering
9. Sever the layered plant from parent, remove plastic
and transplant new plant.
References
What is Air Layering?
by Andy Walsh
Retrieved March 12
th
2011 from: http://
www.evergreengardenworks.com/airlayer.htm


C.X.C Agriculture Third Edition
Written By: Sahadeo Ragoonanan

Thank you
An Air-layer being set attached to
parent plant
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