[CH] Rooting Powders
George Nelson (70431.3065@compuserve.com)
Sun, 23 Apr 2000 22:13:15 -0400
Tucker tucker <tucker@ticon.net>) was concerned because his "Bontone
Rooting
Powder" had as Active ingredient: Indole-3-butyric acid 0.10%."
He further mentioned it was "for ornamentals only."
Did it specifically say this on the instructions?
My "Rootone" has four formidable-sounding active ingredients including
0.057% indole-3-butyric acid. It's greatest hazard appears to be the 4%
Thiram present in the compound as a fungicide. Its directions mention only
ornamental plants, but I have used it somewhat successfully for rosemary,
sage and C. pubescens.
Indole-3-butyric acid is listed for stimulating root growth in the Merck
Index and has a LD i.p. (intraperitoneal? - injected into the gut?) of 100
mg/Kg in mice. Strychnine has an oral MLD of 5 mg/Kg in rats according to
the same source. The rooting hormone is much less toxic than strychnine.
When you think about it, using these agents to root chile cuttings is a
fairly low-risk venture. The huge number of mitigating factors include:
extremely low initial dose, watery rooting medium, dilution through growth
of the plant and remoteness of the fruit from the root where the hormone
was applied. Time for metabolic conversion or decomposition is also a
factor; you are not going to pick a fruit from a cutting the day after you
make it.
With these products, at least you are getting what is on the label, however
scary that may be. The
"natural" alternative, willow extract, will also contain other trace
compounds and may include components from any disease the tree may have or
from soil fungi.
George