determine the effect of IBA concentration and juvenility on rooting of pawpaw shoots in a pot layering system. Approximately 168 seeds were sown in early December 2003 and late April 2004 into one gallon TreePots filled with ProMix. After the younger seedlings reached 5 leaves (about 6 weeks) they were tipped to remove apical dominance; the older plants were cut back to 10 buds. The lower buds were rubbed off, leaving 3 more mature upper buds. A bottomless one-gallon TreePot was then placed over the plant and filled with pine shavings to cause etiolation of new shoots. Once the new shoots emerged through the surface of the sawdust, the upper pot and sawdust was carefully removed and treatments were applied. All shoots were wounded using sandpaper. An IBA quick dip solution at 15,000 ppm, 30,000 ppm, or control (double distilled water only) was applied using a paintbrush. The treatment structure is a 2 x 3 factorial, with age and IBA concentration being the main effects. The experimental design was a randomized complete block, with 3 blocks and 12 plants of each treatment combination per block. IBA solutions were prepared using IBA water-soluble salts and double distilled water. After treatments were applied, the bottomless pot was replaced and shoots were recovered with pine shavings. On November 1, 2004, the pine shavings were carefully removed from around the plant and root number and length was recorded.

Statistical Analysis. Data for number of roots per stem, average root length, and rooting percentage were subjected to an analysis of variance (ANOVA) or general linear model of analysis of variance (GLM-ANOVA) using the statistical software CoStat (CoHort software, Monterey, Calif.). Statistical significance of differences between mean values was determined using an LSD separation with a level of significance of P<0.05.

2003 Seedling Study. In the 2003 seedling pot layering study, few shoots produced roots. Only shoots treated with IBA were capable of producing adventitious roots (Table 3.1). None of the wounded control shoots rooted. Rooting percentages were twice as high using the wicking method rather than painting the IBA solution on, although too few plants remained to perform meaningful statistical analyses to determine differences between treatments. Approximately 14-15% of shoots from one-year-old seedlings treated with either level of IBA rooted using the wicking method rooted, while only about 7% of shoots from one-year-old seedlings which had IBA painted on