Impact of cutting size and IBA concentration on underexploited leafy vegetables of Assam

Abstract: Underutilized leafy vegetables are essential for a balanced human diet, offering vital micronutrients, vitamins and minerals, but they lack national or global recognition due to limited commercial exploration. This research aimed to standardize production techniques and ensure the availability of planting material for commercial cultivation. The experiment focused on three lesser-known leafy vegetables of Assam: Masundari, Pirali paleng, and Xoru manimuni, using treatments of N1: 1 node, N2: 3 nodes, N3: 5 nodes cutting size, and H1: distilled water, H2: 25 ppm, H3: 50 ppm, H4: 75 ppm IBA concentration to assess growth performance in both nursery and main field conditions. The results indicated that 5-node cuttings treated with 75 ppm IBA, followed by 50 ppm, showed the best growth performance in terms of rooting, growth, and yield parameters with the highest benefit-cost ratio, making this treatment highly effective for large-scale propagation and commercial cultivation.