Therfore, is it probable to use shooting growth hormones (just like root growth are used) and get a leaf cutting to produce shoots (in those plants which don't normally do so)? I am trying to avoid the tissue culture approach if possible. Thanks--

In a cutting the first order of the plant is to produce roots. Roots are the source of nutrients and water. Leaves do not make food, they make sugars, which are converted into ATP, (energy molecules which plants use to get things done).

After your cutting develops roots I would think that at some point shoots would develop. Cytokinins are manufactured in the roots of plants. Before the plant starts sending up shoots it first must 'know' that it has the nutrition to do so.

Plants have a cleaver communication system from roots to shoots. When water and food become available in the roots, these are drawn up through the Xylem and out to all parts of the plant. Along with the food comes cytokinins which signal the plant to grow. No food and water no cytokinins.

The process is a little more complicated but this is a simplified explanation.

Plant tissue culture is not all that hard if you want to give it a try. I posted some videos on YouTube showing how to get started. Search Microprogation on YouTube if you are interested.

I took a small vitamin bottle and burned a few small holes in the top with a soldering iron (for air and a place to insert the leaf). After then fastening the top, I placed a mixture of water, rooting hormone and honey therein and inserted the leaf stem into the top (down into the solution leaving the leaf foliage above). Voila! After 1.5 weeks I now have clear root development on the stem, but now I shall see if the this leaf section will send up shoots.

I have read that some species (citrus etc) can be gotten to root from a leaf like this but then fail to send up shoots. I will soon see if this works, but if not, I will need to go the tissue culture route. I think it's cool though that I got a leaf section to root.

I bet if you mix "Configure" to 300 ppm and spray the leaf, it'll send up shoots then. Have you already got the leaf in soil?

Try this number...
800-234-9756

Email me if you can't get it from them. I'd be glad to send you the number of the person who sent it to me.

I'm also trying to propagate a Rubiaceae (an Ixora) by leaf cutting. It gives me roots, but not shure to get shoots quite soon ... people who tryed before told me it did give shoots exceptionnaly, and most of the rooted leaves grew roots for years until they died.

I've tryed an hydroponic culture with some of the rooted leaves I got, with cytokinins (and a little bit of auxin) in the solution. Papers about African Violet micropropagation, says that it's better to make a little wound (in contact with the medium) to promote the income of nutrients and hormones... and the wound will be the place for the shoot to grow.

I'll try some cytokinin sprays also. I don't know your "Configure" and didn't find it on google (its a too common word)... what's inside ? (BAP ? TDZ ? Kin ? something else ?)

I see the thread date back to june now, did you get any results ?

Regards,
Nicolas

Lots of variability among plants, but if you don't have a "bud" attached to the leaf, there may not be anything attached to the leaf that the new "shoots" will arise from. The axillary buds on this plant may/could be only located at the node where you removed the leaf, on the main branch or stem.....

Schmoo

Oooppps...forgot to add...the hormone you use is a synthetic version of what is normally produced in the branch tips, sent to the roots. So it has a lot to do with root promotion, probably not much (if anything)to do with shoot promotion........

Schmoo