PROPAGATION AND GROWTH OF AGAVE PLANT (AGAVE ANGUSTIFOLIA) AS INFLUECNED BY GROWTH HORMORE AND CONCENTRATION

Agave plant is commonly called narrow leaf agave, It is native to mexico and central America and it is highly cultivated across the world due to its significant economic importance. Agave plant is not readily available due to its style of senescing; therefore, a hormone is used to facilitate the growth and quick development of this ornamental plant. A nursery experiment is carried out at the horticultural nursery of the Department of Federal University of Technology Gidan Kwanu Minna on latitude 6.5º and longitude 9.5º to determine the influence of growth hormone in the propagation of Agave. The experiment was a 2×4 factorial experiment arranged in a completely randomized design replicated three times. Data were collected on the following growth parameter that is number of leaves, plant height, stem girth and leaf area. These data were subjected to analysis of variance using GENSTART 12.1 version and means were separated using least significant difference at 5% level of probability. The result from the experiment shows the Agave plant treated with Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) had highest number of leaves (10.85) tallest seedlings(96cm) thickest stem girth(5.8cm) and broad leaf (13.95 cm²) throughout the period of the research while those treated with GA₃ Gibberellic acid had the least (10.78, 11.97cm, 4.89cm, 11.74 cm²) for number of leaves, plant height, stem girth and leaf area respectively. It is concluded therefore that Agave plant treated with NAA at 30 minutes dipping duration should be used to raise seedlings of Agave for commercial production.